Power was cut while Hydro-Québec repaired a gas leak on the corner of Atwater and René Lévesque
Concordia’s Hall building was evacuated this afternoon due to a power outage.
Students and staff were evacuated around 1:20 p.m. Only the Hall building was evacuated.
The power was cut so Hydro-Québec could repair a gas leak on the corner of Atwater and René Levesque, reported the CBC. According to the same source, a valve was hit on a 16-inch metal pipe at the intersection. The fire department shut off power to the area as a safety precaution while workers repaired the leak.
University spokesperson Chris Mota said Concordia’s other buildings remained open because they are not part of the same power grid.
The university did not want to re-open buildings too early in case there was a delay. ”We didn’t know how long it was going to take, so we decided to give ourselves a little cushion,” Mota said.
“If the power is off for 20 minutes or half an hour, that’s one thing. But eventually it gets complicated and uncomfortable, and you don’t want people to be in [Hall],” Mota said. She said she felt the evacuation ran smoothly.
The power came back on at 4 p.m., according to the CBC. Classes and activities in the Hall building resumed at 5 p.m., according to Concordia News.
