Squirrel causes power outage at University of Findlay’s campus

Just a normal day in Findlay, Ohio, when a power outage on the University of Findlay’s campus occurred…

By: Leah Alsept

alseptl@findlay.edu

@l_mac0913

The weather was warm and cloudy during what may have been one of the strangest occurrences on the University of Findlay’s campus in March —  a squirrel ran into a transformer near parking lot #14 behind the Egner Center for Performing Arts and caused a widespread power outage.

The Alumni Memorial Union began to fill with smoke when the backup-generator came to life during the power outage. This resulted in evacuating everyone in the building and calling the Findlay Fire Department to campus.

Beverly Roth, Director of Facilities Scheduling and Events, has an office in the AMU.

 “[A squirrel] hit a transform and it blew out a couple of motors in our boiler room,” Roth said.

Several students waited outside the AMU after clearing the building, including Caitlyn Frankhausen, sophomore English equestrian major.

“I had music going, so I was actually one of the last people to leave. And at that point you could like smell the smoke in the Cave where I was by Jazzman’s,” Frankhausen said. “It was actually starting out in the hall. So at that point it was getting pretty bad.”

The transformer caused several buildings on campus to lose power. The Physical Plant confirmed these buildings lost power during the incident:

• Alumni Memorial Union (AMU)
• College of Business and Center for Student Life
• Old Main
• Croy Physical Education Center
• Brewer Science Hall/Frost Science Center
• Bare Residence Hall
• Fox Residence Hall
• Morey Hall
• Myers Residence Hall
• Renninger Hall
• Egner Center for Performing Arts
• Virginia Gardner Fine Arts Pavilion

Here is the map that shows the source of the power outage and the subsequent outages on campus: