Odor causes Woodburn evacuation

Woodburn Hall was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after a motor belt malfunctioned in the basement.

Staff members reported an odor at about 4 p.m. and police officers and firefighters were called to investigate. Firefighters pulled an alarm and evacuated the building.

At 4:48 p.m. IU Police Department Sgt. Don Schmul blew the whistle to signal it was safe for students, faculty and staff to return to the building.

IUPD Lt. Tom Lee said a motor belt in one of the air handlers in the basement burned up. Lee said the accident was not hazardous and no injuries were reported.

Five police officers and eight to 10 firefighters conducted a room-by-room search, patrolman C.J. Werner said.

Officers, firefighters and IU officials examined the building for the cause of the smell, Werner said. As the smell spread through all floors of Woodburn, computer technician
Steve Flinn said he tried to determine the source of the smell before he and others called the police and fire departments.

Dan Knudsen and Barbara Breitung, who work in the international studies department in Woodburn Hall, both said they smelled “burning plastic” on the third floor 15 minutes before the building was evacuated.