According to Director of Facilities Operations Ken Dehkes, the rotten smell that was reported by Starbucks employees on Oct. 22 was due to the floor drain trap in the Starbucks workplace. The floor drain had dried up, causing a rotten smell to emit. The solution for this smell was simple: just add water to the drain.

Along with the smell on Oct. 22, there were reports of the fire in the Anderson fireplace to be acting larger. A mechanical contractor looked the fireplace over and concluded that the cause of the large flame was due to the exhaust fan motor not functioning correctly. Until the replacement part arrives, the fireplace will not be in operation. There is some speculation that the newly improved HVAC system, a precaution brought up by COVID-19, could potentially have had an impact on the flame as well. If this proves to be true, the fireplace may not be up and running again until after the pandemic has subsided.

These two events occurred on the same day, leading some to believe that there had been a gas leak. It was merely coincidence. This incident has led Facilities, Dining Services and Public Safety to establish a better means of communication in the instance of a dangerous incident in the future.