An electrical fire shut down dining services in the University Center last night.
p. The authorities received a call at 5:19 p.m. regarding the fire, which took place in the kitchen of the dining hall located on the second floor.
p. “Staff immediately called 911 and put the fire out with an extinguisher,” College spokes¬man Brian Whitson wrote in an e-mail to Resi¬dence Life staff. He added that the fire was started by a toaster in the kitchen. No damage could be viewed from the seating area of the dining hall.
p. Per Hoel ’08, a supervisor at the UC, con¬firmed that an electrical fire took place in the dining hall area. A fire extinguisher was used and the fire department was called to inspect the area. Two fire trucks arrived on the scene as students crowded around the outside of the building. University officials at the scene de¬clined to comment.
p. Students were allowed back in the building at 5:45 p.m., and the fire department soon de¬parted. Health Department officials arrived at the scene shortly afterwards. The dining hall is expected to reopen once health inspectors clear the area. According to Whitson, the UC dining hall was expected to open this morning.
“They’re probably going to have to throw all this food away,” one police officer said. “This hasn’t happened as long as I’ve been here.”