Sinsheimer Labs reoccupied, 02-18-02

UCSC Currents online

February 18, 2002

Researchers, staff scheduled to begin reoccupying portions of Sinsheimer Labs this week

By Jim Burns

Some of the researchers and staff who were displaced by the fire and subsequent closure of Sinsheimer Laboratories last month are scheduled to move back into the Science Hill building this week.

Occupants on all four floors of the north wing have been notified that reoccupation of their offices and labs will begin on Tuesday, February 19.

At the end of last week, campus officials were estimating that occupants of the first two floors on the south wing may be able to reoccupy the building two weeks later (March 4), with that wing's third floor coming on line a week after that (March 11). "At this point, the dates for the south wing are only our best guesses for reoccupation," said Ilse Kolbus, director of Physical Plant.

It is also estimated that reconstruction of the south wing's fourth floor, where the fire was located, will begin in mid-April and take six to eight months to complete.

While reoccupation of the north wing was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, individual researchers in that wing had been given lists of safety-related tasks that had to be completed prior to labs actually being reoccupied. "An example of these items might be the repositioning of a freezer to ensure adequate access to an exit path," said Buddy Morris, director of the campus's Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

The fire was detected in the early-morning hours of January 11. UCSC Fire Department crews, responding to a call triggered by the building's heat detection system, and numerous local crews controlled the top-floor blaze shortly before noon that day.

The fire destroyed the research labs of biologists Manuel Ares and Jane Silverthorne, located in the southwest corner of the floor; many other areas of the building sustained significant smoke and water damage.

To oversee the cleanup and recovery effort, the campus hired the international firm Belfor. Belfor crews have been working nearly around the clock since the fire to bring the building back to "pre-incident condition."

Prior stories/links:

Cleanup, recovery continue in Sinsheimer Laboratories fire

Two research labs gutted in Sinsheimer blaze

January 28 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger

January 16 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger

January 14 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger

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	February 18, 2002 Researchers, staff scheduled to begin reoccupying portions of Sinsheimer Labs this week By Jim Burns Some of the researchers and staff who were displaced by the fire and subsequent closure of Sinsheimer Laboratories last month are scheduled to move back into the Science Hill building this week. Occupants on all four floors of the north wing have been notified that reoccupation of their offices and labs will begin on Tuesday, February 19. At the end of last week, campus officials were estimating that occupants of the first two floors on the south wing may be able to reoccupy the building two weeks later (March 4), with that wing's third floor coming on line a week after that (March 11). "At this point, the dates for the south wing are only our best guesses for reoccupation," said Ilse Kolbus, director of Physical Plant. It is also estimated that reconstruction of the south wing's fourth floor, where the fire was located, will begin in mid-April and take six to eight months to complete. While reoccupation of the north wing was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, individual researchers in that wing had been given lists of safety-related tasks that had to be completed prior to labs actually being reoccupied. "An example of these items might be the repositioning of a freezer to ensure adequate access to an exit path," said Buddy Morris, director of the campus's Office of Environmental Health and Safety. The fire was detected in the early-morning hours of January 11. UCSC Fire Department crews, responding to a call triggered by the building's heat detection system, and numerous local crews controlled the top-floor blaze shortly before noon that day. The fire destroyed the research labs of biologists Manuel Ares and Jane Silverthorne, located in the southwest corner of the floor; many other areas of the building sustained significant smoke and water damage. To oversee the cleanup and recovery effort, the campus hired the international firm Belfor. Belfor crews have been working nearly around the clock since the fire to bring the building back to "pre-incident condition." Prior stories/links: Cleanup, recovery continue in Sinsheimer Laboratories fire Two research labs gutted in Sinsheimer blaze January 28 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger January 16 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger January 14 letter from Natural Sciences Dean David Kliger Return to Front Page