Ball State University’s Lucina Hall was evacuated Friday morning when the building’s elevator motor, located in the basement, burned up and filled with the area with smoke. A university administrator who uses a wheel chair decided to stay on the second floor, however, because the smoke did not pose a huge risk.
“This is the first time that there’s actually been a real fire,” John McPherson, associate director of scholarships and financial aid, said. “There’s only been drills before, and I wasn’t even aware it was a real fire. ... But there wasn’t any time during the whole thing that I could smell smoke. Now if I had smelled smoke, I would have been more concerned.”
University Police received the call at 10:10 a.m. and notified the Muncie Fire Department, David Bell of UPD, said.
The building remained closed until the smoke cleared and was open again around noon, UPD said.
“We locked all the doors, put down caution tape,” Bell said.
No injuries or building damage were reported, other than the elevator's motor.
Bell said Friday’s incident was rare.
“We’ve had trouble with motors malfunctioning, but not burning,” Bell said. “Especially in this building, this is a pretty rare case. They’re going to have to put a new motor in, I’m sure.”
The elevator is expected to remain out of service until Monday, Assoc. Vice-President for Facilities Management Kevin Kenyon said.
For more information, read Monday's edition of the Daily News.
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