Underground fire damages Ohio State's telephone system

COLUMBUS – A number of Ohio State University faculty and staff will be without telephone service and data connection when they return to work Monday, as a result of a fire that occurred just after midnight Saturday morning (6/14). The fire occurred in an underground tunnel system on the south side of campus, which housed part of the university's communication network.

The Columbus Fire Department has extinguished the fire and permitted university technology officials to return to the space. There were no injuries.

Forty-four campus buildings will be impacted by the loss of data connection, including 16 residence halls (which will be vacant this summer), Wexner Center, Enarson Hall, Drinko Hall, Faculty Club, Page Hall and university offices at the Gateway complex. A full list of affected buildings is below.

The university is actively working to restore service, but data connection may be out as long as one week and telephone connectivity may take several weeks. Information technology officials will be utilizing alternative communications for those employees who have been impacted. Officials estimate that more than 5,000 telephone lines have been affected.

Affected Buildings

42-68 E 9th ave
49-71 E 11th ave
75 E 11th ave
1590 N High
1550 N High
1995 N High
1620 N High
33 W 11th
45 E 11th
53 W 11th
Stradley
Smith
Hale
Baker
Morrison
141 W 11th
Steeb
Park
Siebert
Smith
Enarson
Wexner
Faculty Club
Mendenhall
Orton
Hagerty
Construction Trailers - Library and Union
Sullivant
Mershon Auditorium
Page Hall
Union
Northwood High – Emergency Phone
Drinko
Law Bldg.
Pomerene
Mack
Canfield
Paterson
Neil
Scholars East
Scholars West
Bradley
Park
Smith
Steeb
Siebert

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