The fire sprinkler system, triggered by a small cooking fire, caused minor flooding in the Chapman Grand Apartments Nov. 2, alerting student residents to evacuate around 6:50 p.m. Dave Sundby, the director of Residence Life and First Year Experience, told The Panther that most affected residents living in at least 10 units on the first floor of Quad D have been temporarily relocated to the Panther Village Apartments.

As the flooding began to saturate a hallway, specialists were called in to help with water mitigation, according to Randy Burba, chief of Public Safety.

The Anaheim Fire Department, Chapman Public Safety and Chapman Facilities Management services arrived onsite within two minutes, Burba said. No serious injuries were reported.

Jessica Almos, a junior theater studies and environmental science and policy double major, was visiting Chapman Grand from Panther Village when the fire alarm went off. She explained that while Resident Advisers (RAs) informed students who evacuated to wear masks and stay six feet apart, many did not listen.

“It was just very obviously not a COVID-19 safe environment, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a huge surge in Chapman Grand cases in the next two weeks,” Almos said.

One particular Chapman Grand resident actually refused to wear a mask after an RA provided one, Almos said. After RAs and other students, including Almos, attempted to ask the student to wear a mask, she said the student still refused. Compared to five confirmed student cases Oct. 30, Chapman reported an additional 13 students who currently have COVID-19 as of Nov. 6 – bringing the total number of Chapman students infected with the coronavirus to 18.

After the residents were told to return to their rooms, a second fire alarm went off at approximately 7:45 p.m., but the RAs informed the students to remain inside. Burba said the second fire alarm was most likely accidental.

Alec Desuasido, a freshman business administration major, lives on the first floor of Chapman Grand, with his unit only one door down from the water’s reach. Desuasido said it was unnerving to see water trickling down the hall as he returned to his apartment.

“When I went back inside, firefighters were coming in and out of the hall where my room was,” Desuasido said. “Pretty much the whole hallway was flooded. I was scared that it was going to reach my room, and I felt really bad for my neighbors who were affected.”

The cost of the damages has yet to be determined by Chapman Facilities and Risk Management. Most students who were impacted by the flooding were given temporary housing accommodations at the Panther Village Apartments, and Sundby explained that only residents living in two apartments will need to be relocated for a significant amount of time.