TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Flooding at a University of Arizona dorm forced dozens of students out of their rooms overnight.
Cleanup crews have been on campus today at Arizona-Sonora, pulling out carpets and assessing the damage while 30 displaced students deal with the aftermath.
Many students and cleanup crew members tell me the flooding started at Arizona-Sonora's 'Arizona' tower, on the eighth floor, going all the way down to the first floor, reaching the basement.
Those who are most affected tell me they’re now relying on friends, family and campus housing for a place to stay while repairs are underway. Nonetheless, I saw students hurry back to their rooms this morning, quickly changing before they headed to class.
“I was just like scared because I didn't know, like, what was happening, I guess,' said Julia Basha, a freshman living at Arizona-Sonora.
Basha and another freshman who lives at Arizona-Sonora, Emily Reynolds, tell me this all started when the fire-alarm went off at their dorm around 10 p.m.
“We were out here until at least like 1:00 in the morning. We couldn't go inside, we couldn't get our phones. Our phones were dying. There was no water—all the stores are [were] closed. So very tiring," said Reynolds.
Several students say videos are going around, showing what happened.
“Someone hit a sprinkler with a water jug, a five-gallon water jug," Reynolds described. "The sprinkler broke off of the ceiling or whatever, and the room started flooding."
An email sent to Arizona-Sonora residents from the U of A aligns with what students say about the incident.
It reads, “Unfortunately, the sprinkler activation was the result of a resident action and not a system malfunction or an actual fire.”
The email also confirms there was “…significant flooding in the hallways, damage to elevators and damage to resident rooms.”
“We weren’t able to go back into our rooms on either side until everyone on—because there's two towers," Basha said. "So, until everyone on the flooded tower was able to find a place to sleep, we weren't able to go on our side.”
Students I spoke with say they were offered a place to sleep at a different dorm, while others were told to stay with a friend or family.
“I went up to my dad's house, so that was at 1:00 in the morning still. So, it was really late, but we all just stood outside here until we could go back inside," said Reynolds.
The flooding may be over, but the disruption isn’t for students as they deal with the aftermath.
“I have a test in a couple of minutes, and I’m not prepared anymore," said Reynolds.
In the same email mentioned earlier, it states that students living on the seventh floor should pack enough clothes for one week. I’m told by other students who live on the eighth floor, where the flooding started, that they should pack clothes for at least two to three weeks.
Further in the email, it states that staff will be available until 7 p.m. today to assist students in moving their belongings from their rooms. If students cannot meet that timeframe, the email states students must contact their Community Directors to schedule an escort during business hours to enter their rooms.
The email also states, "... damage to the Arizona elevators is significant and will result in the indefinite closure to both of the elevators on the Arizona side."
Students mentioned to me they've had issues with Arizona-Sonora elevators in the past.
Again, students are being moved to a different dorm during repairs.
I’m following this story and will continue keeping you updated both on air and online.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
