UPDATE at 2:55 p.m.
A fire in The Edge displaced hundreds of students during a move-in period on Saturday, officials said.
The fire, which began in a fourth-floor room, led to flooding from the fire sprinklers on floors two, three, and four. Although floors five through 12 were not impacted, all students, parents and staff had to evacuate the building.
No students were injured, a university spokesperson said.
Kevin Williams, the senior director of University Housing and Residential Life, said rooms 18 to 27 on the second, third and fourth floors were impacted by the flooding. He added that while residents of rooms not affected by the sprinklers will likely be allowed to return to their rooms late Saturday night, those who are assigned to affected rooms will receive email updates on the situation with further instructions.
“We are reassessing those rooms and I’m hoping to get a few more back but I will not be able to let those individuals in this evening to stay there,” Williams said.
Officials are still assessing damage on the affected floors.
12 of 67 students assigned to affected rooms were relocated to White and 1300 Halls. Williams advised students to find a friend to stay with or stay home if they live locally. Students who were unable to move in Saturday will be able to do so Sunday.
Marissa Olalde, a freshman art therapy major who was moving in at the time, said she was confused by the alarms.
“I was up there for five minutes before coming down,” Olalde said. “I thought it was a drill.”
Olalde was on the twelfth floor, thus, her room was not affected by the water.
“It’s just annoying that somebody had to start a fire,” she added. “It’s the worst day possible, too.”
University Housing and Residential Life, Campus Safety Services, fire marshal, the Philadelphia Fire Department and Philadelphia Licenses & Inspections responded to the incident.
UPDATE: This story was updated to include comment from a university spokesperson.
My granddaughter lived there last year and what a hole! Lived all over the country and nothing prepared me for leaving her there. They need to figure out why it keeps catching on fire. They lost her mail,and the garbage was always backed up. They need to close it down!