PPC office flooded

By KATIE LEONARDStaff Writer

The William Pitt Union reopened Tuesday, however, Pitt Program Council members returned to… The William Pitt Union reopened Tuesday, however, Pitt Program Council members returned to their offices and found that a sprinkler had gone off during the morning, leaving at least two inches of water in their offices and forcing PPC’s office to close again.

Someone kept the thermostat in one of the rooms turned down low enough that the sprinkler froze causing a water pipe to burst, according to PPC adviser Tom Misuraca.

He said he thought the sprinkler went off around 8 a.m.

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Operations and Maintenance Charles Turbanic said the Union did not lose heat during the blackout that started Sunday afternoon. He did not know why the thermostat was so low, unless someone liked his or her office very cold.

Misuraca said they would not know what damages occurred for at least a week. The office has several computers, telephones and other electrical devices, which they will test, he added.

According to Christine Chergh, director of student activities, PPC has been moved to the Kurtzman Room of the Union and will continue to be stationed there until Friday.

Misuraca said, “We want to make sure we can accommodate [students].”

Chergh added that parts of PPC’s office will reopen Friday afternoon. The following Friday, all of the offices should be ready for use, she said.

Other groups or events scheduled to meet or occur in the Kurtzman Room will be moved into other rooms in the Union.