Santa Barbara County Fire was on scene at the UC Santa Barbara campus Wednesday morning, following several reports of an unidentified odor. Broida Hall, a five-story lecture hall that houses the Department of Physics, was evacuated due to concerns that the stench could be a potential gas leak.
The smell was first reported around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Although classes don’t begin until September 28, research at the university normally happens year-round, explained UCSB spokesperson Kiki Reyes.
According to Reyes, Santa Barbara County Fire checked several buildings and then opened them for normal operation around 11 a.m. after determining that there were no leaks or health risks.
County Fire spokesperson Scott Safechuck confirmed that after a thorough investigation, no evidence of natural gas was detected in or around Broida Hall.
