Firefighters respond to alarm in Benedum

By Victor Powell / Contributing Editor

published: Tue, 3 Nov, 2009

Firefighters responded to a fire alarm activation in Benedum Hall around 9:20 this morning.

Students and professors evacuated the building for about 10 minutes, as four or five firefighters ran in.

One fireman said there was a report of a fire in the building's basement, and several people walking out of the building said they saw fire.

Check back later for more details.

"It was a false alarm caused by blown transformer," Pitt spokesman John Fedele said. "Power from the 7th floor up was restored quickly, and the basement through the 6th floor is on emergency power. They are installing a new transformer and expect power to be back to normal throughout the building early this evening."