Students and faculty fled from the Snow building Wednesday afternoon when a fire alarm went off at approximately 4:05 pm. The fire alarm was set off by smoke machines being used inside the Snow Black Box Theatre. No damage was done to the Snow building and no injuries occurred. 

Ray Versluys, the theatre technical director, said the fire alarm was triggered by too much smoke from theatrical haze. Versluys explained that theatrical haze is similar to smoke and the fire alarms sense smoke very easily.

The theatrical haze came from fog machines being tested for next week’s production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  Macbeth opens February 17 and runs through February 27.

“We have to take precautions to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Versluys said. “Fire alarms are very sensitive. If it could pick up that much smoke, imagine what it could do during an actual fire.” 

The students and faculty were unable to enter the building until the haze left and the building was inspected by safety personnel.

Students were in various classes when the fire alarm went off. Justin Baker, a freshman studying business management, said he was headed to the Snow building to practice for Open Mic night when he was asked to leave. Freshman Brian Hathaway, Recreational Management major, was participating in men’s choir when he had to leave the building.

By: Brenna Richardson