Smoke detected in the BCC

The Sheriff’s and Fire Departments were called to the Buell Communications Center Friday afternoon to investigate reports of smoke in the hallway by the main offices.

There was not enough smoke to be detected by the smoke alarm but the Sheriffs alerted the Fire Department to find the source of the smoke.

The Fire Department concluded that the smoke was coming from a motor in the HVAC system, according to Joe Gallegos, the director of safety and environmental health. 

The Fire Department evacuated the building and checked all the motors in the building because they had originally thought the smoke was coming from another location, said Gallegos. 

Students and staff were allowed back in after about an hour when the smoke had cleared and no classes were cancelled.

Martin Atteberry of maintenance said that there was no fire and the smoke was coming from a variable air volume box on an air conditioner and had got into the ventilation system. 

HVAC supervisor Royce Cappis got the ventilation system online in time to keep the building cool in order to protect the technology in the building, which includes the DirecTV system for Southern Colorado.

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