Douglass Dining Center was briefly evacuated during lunchtime Tuesday, when dining workers suspected they smelled a gas leak in the building. Workers notified Public Safety, who decided to evacuate the building “as a precautionary measure,” Director of Auxiliary Operations Cameron Schauf said in an email.

Workers proceeded to sweep through the dining area and notify everyone that the building was being cleared out due to a gas leak, which later turned out to be a false alarm. Students and dining workers gathered in the area immediately outside the building; the students quickly dispersed after a few minutes.

Public Safety also contacted Rochester Gas & Electric, which inspected the building and determined that there was no leak.

“The odor was coming from drains in the kitchen, and there was no danger,” Schauf said.

Douglass was reopened for lunch about 35 minutes after the initial evacuation.

Passanisi is a member of the class of 2017.



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