Multimedia by Jackie Pascale
An update on this report is located here.
Update 10-2-17: Elon Physical Plant said they are still checking on moisture on the first floor and under the building and the extent of damages has yet to be announced.
Smith Hall residents woke up to soggy floors as water flooded out of a bathroom Saturday morning.
A urinal was ripped from the wall in Smith residence hall, the all-male freshman dorm in Historic Neighborhood. The incident occurred early Saturday morning in a communal bathroom on the first floor. As a result, the hall was flooded with approximately three inches of water. Dehumidifiers and fans lined the first floor as part of early cleanup measures.
All of Historic Neighborhood’s water supply was temporarily cut off, but turned back on as of late Saturday morning. Despite the resumption of water service, Smith is not receiving hot water.
Anthony Valen, a resident of Smith, said the incident does not directly affect him because he lives on the second floor. However, if the individual responsible is not found then the entire building will be charged.
“I don’t know who they’re charging," Valen said. "I’ve heard rumors it’s gonna be like $50,000, I don’t know if that’s true or not."
Jared Henderson, the resident advisor for the first floor, was not able to give an exact amount of the final cost, but said it would likely be “in the thousands."
Henderson heard about the incident at 4 a.m. on Saturday via text message from a resident. He then notified residence life and helped move the residents’ belongings out of the hall. Henderson was on his way to a service retreat in Greensboro and was unable to attend as a result of the incident.
He remained positive after the flood, saying “the community dynamic is still tight-knit, but they’re frustrated with the fact that all of this damage has to be paid for somehow."
Henderson also said that this marks the third weekend in a row that there has been vandalism in the residence hall.