On July 31, a severe thunderstorm caused a fire in Towson University’s Power Plant, which supplies heating and cooling to the academic core of campus. Emergency responders from the Office of Public Safety and the Baltimore County Fire Department were on the scene within minutes, successfully putting the fire out. 

While no one was injured, the fire caused significant equipment damage which left a portion of the academic core without air conditioning during the height of summer. TU temporarily transitioned summer courses to virtual learning and engaged a team of electrical engineers and equipment manufacturers to lead a full assessment of the safety and functionality of the building’s equipment.  

Working alongside these partners, TU’s facilities team immediately began developing a plan to restore services to campus. Within five days, partial equipment capacity was recovered and air conditioning was restored to all but two campus buildings. Within 10 days, high-function chillers were installed near the Science Complex and 7800 York Road, restoring air conditioning service to both buildings. This week, a temporary substation was installed in the Power Plant to accommodate all campus chilling needs and provide extra capacity to enable planned maintenance and prevent system overload.  

I want to express my deepest appreciation to our facilities, emergency preparedness and environmental health and safety staff, as well as to the Procurement Office, campus contractors and especially the first responders who rushed to our aid during the fire.

Steve Jones, senior vice president for campus operations

“They say a crisis shows what a team is made of,” says Steve Jones, senior vice president for campus operations. “Our facilities, emergency preparedness and environmental health and safety staff’s relentless dedication to restoring service following this serious fire is a testament to their skill and commitment to TU’s campus community. I want to express my deepest appreciation to them, as well as to the Procurement Office, the campus contractors who worked quickly to identify and implement solutions and especially the first responders who rushed to our aid during the fire.” 

The campus community will notice a pedestrian detour to accommodate the temporary chillers providing air conditioning to the Science Complex and 7800 York Road. The walkway on the York Road side of the Science Complex has been temporarily closed. Pedestrians traveling from the Glen Garage to the academic core of campus should use the walkway west of the building, the York Road sidewalk or traverse through the Science Complex.

TU is working alongside specialized partners to plan and design permanent building repairs and replacement equipment, which are expected to take up to a year to complete due to the specialization of the equipment and supply chain lead times. Meanwhile, an existing geothermal energy project is underway along York Road to support sustainable heating and cooling for the renovated Smith Hall building. There are also existing plans for an additional electrical substation in TU’s capital project pipeline.