Some UK students move out of dorms after severe winter weather causes pipes to burst
In the aftermath of winter weather that blew through Kentucky at the end of 2022, some University of Kentucky students are being moved into alternate housing for the beginning of the spring semester.
In the days before Christmas, an arctic front brought severe cold across Kentucky, with the temperature dropping almost 40 degrees overnight. Nearly the entire state, Lexington included, saw dangerously low temperatures, snow and ice. When outdoor temperatures are that low, it is common for water pipes to freeze or burst, leading to maintenance issues like flooding.
About three dozen buildings at UK were impacted by the winter weather, including Haggin Hall. Staff members and contractors worked throughout the winter break to make repairs, and a majority of the buildings impacted were operating as normal on Jan. 3 when employees returned to campus, UK spokesperson Whitney Siddiqi said in an email. The spring semester begins Monday, Jan. 9.
Several rooms in Haggin Hall had minor damage, including water on the floors caused by a burst sprinkler line on the 5th floor on Dec. 26. Water traveled down to the first floor, affecting several student rooms and mechanical spaces.
Most students will be able to move back into Haggin Hall for the spring semester. UK students whose rooms were impacted were contacted by the university and given a $200 gift card and the offer of free laundry services for any items that need to be cleaned.
However, some rooms are not yet inhabitable. Less than 10 students will not be able to move in before the start of the spring semester, Siddiqi said, and those students are being temporarily relocated to other dorms while repairs are ongoing.
For those students, UK gave them $200 gift cards, free laundry service, moving materials to relocate and a free overnight hotel stay for students and their families if they want to come to campus to assess damages.
Donovan Hall also experienced water damage in the lobby, with repairs expected to be complete by the end of this week, Siddiqi said. Student rooms and operations were not impacted in Donovan Hall.
In a message Monday, President Eli Capilouto thanked UK employees who worked over the holiday break to repair campus.
“They repaired leaks and ruptured pipes, busted coils and broken sprinklers. They cleaned up flooding and installed new carpet and tiles. They worked overtime shifts to ensure buildings were safe and operational as we prepare to return to campus this week and for our students to resume classes on Jan. 9,” he said.
Several off-campus student apartments also are dealing with burst pipes and water damage
At The Lex apartment complex, located on South Broadway about one mile from UK, some students will be moved into hotels while repairs are made to the complex. Frozen fire sprinklers and frozen pipes impacted 64 residents, according to an email sent from the complex management to residents and provided to the Herald-Leader by a resident.
Apartment complex 5 Twenty Four and 5 Twenty Five Angliana, located off South Broadway, also dealt with a burst pipe and water damage, according to a social media comment.
Neither apartment complex responded to a request for comment.
LEX18 reported that students living at 5 Twenty Four returned to find their “bedrooms in disarray and a carpet saturated with water.” Students told LEX18 there had been little communication from the apartment complex.
“I can’t describe the smell, it’s horrible,” UK student and 5 Twenty Four resident Brie Bennet told the TV station.
