BOSTON — Frustration and anger are reaching a boiling point for UMass-Boston students who’ve been forced from their dorms, away from their belongings, and displaced for an undisclosed period of time after a residential building pipe burst.
The Motley East Residence Hall on the school’s campus was evacuated Monday afternoon after a sprinkler pipe burst on the 10th floor. Water was found on hallway floors and inside dormitories.
Students claim the building holding roughly 1,000 people were told they had to leave their belongings in a matter of minutes, and are still not allowed to access their rooms.
According to UMass-Boston’s website, students were given alternate housing options including the Charles River Campus/ Mount Ida Campus.
Students like Katerina Vatkin told Boston 25 she was shuttled to the Mt. Ida campus Monday night — a roughly 40 minute drive from their campus. She claimed the campus did not have enough housing for those in need. She also claimed the housing options were poor, and many students were left without sheets and pillows for the night.
“I’ve talked to people in housing, and they genuinely look at me like, ‘I thought you were gonna tell me where you’re going.’”
Vatkin claimed she and other students decided a motel nearby was a better option to stay for Monday night.
Displaced student Maryana Gomes said she’s staying with a friend for the time being. She said, “We got most of our information from each other, like what people are hearing, what people are seeing... How long am I going to be crashing at someone else’s place?”
Another student added, “I don’t have my Chromebook charger. I don’t have clothes. I don’t have underwear.”
According to the university’s website, the dining on the first floor of the building will reopen Wednesday morning.
A school spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday:
“Since we notified the entire campus community—students, faculty, and staff—yesterday at around 2:45 p.m. of the need to close the East Residence Hall, we have kept the campus community and others concerned notified with a series of communications, including four emails to the students who reside in the affected hall. The latest communication is attached. Note that the first-floor dining area will open tomorrow morning for breakfast, but the rest of the building will remain closed.
We understand the ongoing closure of the East Residence Hall has been frustrating, disruptive, and stressful, especially for students who have been displaced or unable to access personal belongings. We must, however, put safety first and wait for guidance from city and state inspectors on when we can restore full access to the building."
Information has also been posted on their website at Residence Hall Support - UMass Boston
Students told Boston 25 important items for school have been left in their dorms while they must still attend class. Others were worried about healthcare items and prescriptions needed on a daily basis.
UMass-Boston student Djamara Soares lives in West Residence Hall. She told Boston 25 four girls from East Residence are sleeping in her two-person dorm.
She added, “We had to sleep side-by-side. We had to share all of my resources, all of my food, everything I could possibly give to them.”
Student Gianni Wilkinson finished, “I personally feel like the school has been incompetent with things like this.”
The university has yet to give a timetable on when the residence hall may reopen and students can both move in and retrieve their items.
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