Fire alarm pulled at campus residence after microwave causes smoke

The Algonquin College residence was evacuated Friday afternoon after a fire alarm was pulled due to smoke from a microwave.

Ottawa Fire Services arrived on the scene at approximately 1:30 p.m. as students evacuated the building in droves. Campus security directed students to gather across the street as firefighters were dealing with the situation.

Firefighters at the scene told the Algonquin Times that a microwave in a unit caused smoke that almost started a fire.

Many students on campus this week are facing increased academic pressure as midterm exams and assessments are starting to wrap up before break week. Some expressed inconvenience while firefighters attended to the incident.

“We’re all upset,” Brayden Grooms, a game development student, said.

His friend, Sylvia Priest, also a game development student, interjected and said, “I have so many assignments too, man. I can’t be sitting out here.”

Students are used to semi-frequent fire alarms at the residence. In 2023, there have been several incidents of evacuations at the college residence. Incidents range from false alarms to a fire in a first-floor dormitory room, as reported by the Times in February.

Ryan Ferris, an esthetician student, was packing up her room for break week when the fire alarm went off. She said that residents didn’t react to the fire alarm with much urgency.

“Everybody just walks slow now,” Ferris said. “Nobody is running anymore. People just kind of walk out normally like they’re going to class.”

Residents were given the all-clear to re-enter the building by Ottawa Fire Services at approximately 2 p.m.