Repairs were made over the summer to the damaged floors and ceilings in Holy Cross Hall that came after scorching summertime temperatures caused the sprinkler system to malfunction at approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday, July 16.
College spokeswoman Melanie McDonald said the sprinklers went off in the attic of the residence hall when temperatures reached 150 degrees - the point at which the system was set to disengage.
The intense rush of water burst through the attic and leaked all the way to the basement on the building's south end, causing major structural damage in the hallways of the third and forth floors. McDonald said the water did not structurally damage any dorm rooms.
The Notre Dame Fire Department quickly arrived on the scene and no one was injured during the incident, McDonald said.
Approximately 130 Fine Arts Camp and Summer Academy campers and counselors and student summer residents were living in the building at the time, and were forced to relocate to LeMans Hall for the duration of their time at the College.
McDonald said repairs were made to the building and it is now deemed structurally sound. The only visual impact of the incident is the tile used to replace the usually carpeted hallways. The carpet was removed to avoid the growth of mold and will hopefully be replaced during fall break, McDonald said.
The College has added additional ventilation to the attic and set the new triggering temperature to 200 degrees to avoid a reoccurrence of this incident, McDonald said.
