Transformer Blowout Sparks Downhill Blackout
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THE TUFTS DAILY Where You Read It First Tuesday, September 21,1993 Vol XXVII, Number 7 Transformer blowout sparks downhill blackout by LEAH SCHWARTZ dent, Benjamin Torrey witnessed including Braker, Paige Hall and Daily Editorial Board the entire sequence of the fire. Lincoln Filene Center. A fire in the transformer caused After noticing that the power had Despite the prompt response a massive power outage which af- gone out in his room, and in the by the Tufts University Police, fected most of the downhill build- dorms ofhis friends,Torrey walked Buildings and Grounds, and the ings and lasted from approximately out of the building to the area near Somerville Fire Department, no 5 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. the row of cars and, “saw smoke definiteassessment could be made According to Tufts Police Su- coming out of the transformers.” with respect to the details of the pervisor Bob McCarthy, the Tufts “I knew that they don’t blow up problem and its cause until the University Police notified the but it could be dangerous,” Torrey utility company, Massachusetts Somerville Fire Department im- said. Electrical Company arrived to sur- mediately after receiving report of Another student, Tony vey the damage. smoke coming out of the trans- Rodolakis became aware of the Much time was delayed, result- former box located in back of power outage when he “tried to get ing from the lack of knowledge Pearsonchemistry building. Both into the Campus Center and it was over whether Boston Edison or departments, as well as Tufts all locked up.” Mass Electric Company owns the Buildings and Grounds were on A janitor on duty in Pearson at equipmentand whose service con- the scene within five to ten min- the time of the fire noted, “the tract covers the repair of the trans- PhOb byJonalhan &R utes. Upon reaching the trans- smell of burning in the basement.” former. Boston Edison had as- The Somerville Fire Department was called to extinguish the small former area, police “roped off the Various sources indicate that most sessed the equipment around 6:45 fire and secure the area around the transformer. area just to be safe,” McCarthy of the downhill buildings had lost p.m., and Massachusetts Electric tained inside the transformer con- tually returned to downhill build- said. - Senior Latin Wav resi- Dower and a few buildines UDhill arrived around 7 p.m. Mas - tainer. ings at approximately 10:45 p.m. sachusettsElectricCompany elec- “I would guess that a faulty Most students passing by ex- tricians opened up the transformer transformerwould have started it,” pressed shock over the massive and determined the cause of the Winters said. display of fire and police vehicles fire by 9:20 p.m. Tufts Building In order to temporarily repair and yellow police line. However, and Grounds electrician, Rich the wires, Winters said that they the shock changed to anxiety once Winters remained in contact with would “bypass the burnt trans- the reality of no power set in. Stu- the Mass Electric service engi- former and go directly to the main dents stopped by the transformer neers, and explained the problem switchgear.” area every few minutes to inquire and how it was going to be re- “These repairs are temporary about the remaining length of the paired. but efficient. There will be an- outage. A South Hall resident “Power goes through the trans- other shutdown sometime when complained about the lack of din- former so it can be read through a the students are gone to make per- ing hall options since Hodgdon meter by the electric company but manent repairs,” Winters said. and Dewick were closed. one of the three transformers blew The electricity will not be “Carmichael is going to be out,” Winters said. monitored through the meter until packed,” the student said. According to Winters, the ab- perinanent repairs are completed, After dinner, when students sence of one transformer weak- Winters added. would normally begin their stud- PhObbyha~~Benened and shortened the wires thus Winters had originally esti- ies, and power still had not been A Boston Edison representative explains the situation to Tufts causing the power failure. C&on mated that the “repairs were ex- returned to downhill residences, Building and Grounds Electrician Rich Winters and members of inside the transformer had created tensive and power would be back students sought lighted refuge in the Somerville Fire Department. a thick black smoldering fire con- around midnight,” but power ac- Wessell library. Speakers Brinker presents new Senate making plans to discuss treasury regulations for upcoming events ’ by MICHAEL J.W. STTCKINGS by MICHAEL J.W. STICKINGS expand the current structure of Boston Daily Editorial Board Daily Editorial Board Wessell Library eastward in the During his report at Sunday Sunday evening’s TCU Senate direction of College Avenue. As evening’s TCU Senate meeting, meeting began with President John such, the extension would be culture TCUTreasurer David Brinker pre- Fee’s introduction to upcoming mostly above ground and subse- by DAVID MEYERS sented an introductionto the soon- events and on-campus issues, in- quently constitute “more for less Daily Editorial Board to-be-released 70-80 page Trea- clude the library expansion, money.” On the east side, a three- Tufts Lecture Series will be sury regulations manual. Trustee relations and dinners with story semi-circularstructure would presenting three speakers on The introductory report in- Tufts President John DiBiaggio. permit more light to enter. On the Wednesday who will discuss life cludes 20 existing Treasury by- Fee reported that DiBiaggio’s north and south sides, three smaller in Boston, according to co-chai laws, which, in essence, makeup a dinnersin campus dining halls with extensions, or wings, would be Ken Archer. This will be the first kind of Treasury constitution.Two students have been scheduled for constructed. Moreover, the en- event of the year for Lecture Se- further by-laws, included in the Wednesday, September 9, in trance would be redone and the ries. report, will be voted on eventu- Carmichael; Monday, October 4, late-night study room would be Boston Celtics General Man- ally. Their presence in the report in the Campus Center; Thursday, brought within easier access of the ager Jan Volk, WFNX discjockey does not suggest a formal presen- October 28, in Dewick; and Mon- outside. Troy Smith, and President of State tation for debate. day, November 1, in Hodgdon. The intended completion date Visit David Noonan will be speak- The report continues with a Moreover, several Trustees has been set for JundJuly 1996, ing about the different aspects of presentation of the Treasury’s or- rn& fib photo TCU Treasurer David Brinker have been tentatively scheduledto though Fee remarked that the pro- Boston social life, Archer said. ganizational structure, and a de- speak, as Fee noted, about “their cess is “little bit behind” schedule. State Visit is responsible for re- tailed descriptionof Treasury pro- bounced over the summer,the con- experiencesat Tufts, their careers, Similarly, he suggested that the ceiving foreign dignitariesinto the cedures, internal Treasury proce- cern is real and the rationale be- [and] their connections with Tufts “money has not been entirely state of Massachusetts.Noonan is dures, the TCU investment policy, hind shifting the TCU funds to now.” Topics of discussion will raised.” Apparently, only 13.5 also Chairman of the Board for the disciplinary procedures, and ex- Baybank lies in the danger of con- range from the Greek system to million dollars of the necessary 20 Restoration of Faneuil Hall. penditure guidelines. tinued losses from bad checks and university investments to campus million has enJaised, though “Basically, this is a forum to The description of the TCU’s large wire transfers. development. investment policy enhances Thus, “Under no circumstance Agrand openingof Carmichael see SENATE, page 8 see SPEAKERS, page 6 Brinker’s announdment at last shall any investment be made in has also been tentatively sched- week’s meeting of the shift of in- any financialinstrument that would uled for mid- to late-October. The Jan Volk vestment funds fromMemllLynch put the principle amounts of the hope, according to Fee, is to bring Inside to aBaybankIBMsystem whereby StudentActivities Fee in jeopardy back alumni, to have a “mellow Viewpoints or loss.” Potentially dangerous ..................... P. 3 David Noonan funds are automatically shifted band” and a“festive” atmosphere, Dining workers are. sick of hearing betweenacheckingaccount, which investments may include “penny while maintaining the normal din- the Carmichael.complaints, and our Troy Smith allows for check-writing, and a stocks,junkbonds andfunds, high ing experience. As well, “hope- editor offers asequel to “The Bastard.” When: no-risk, government-backed mu- risk money market funds and mu- fully PresidentDiBiaggio and Vice tual fund account. As the report- tual funds,arbitrage funds and non- Wed., Sept. 20, 1993 President Bernstein, who have Features ........................... P.5 describes, 25 percent of TCU as- blue chip stock issues.” expressed interest, will do some A street musician searches for his 7:OO p.m. sets must be available for expen- Eventually, once the TCU has stir-frying.” dog, Potato, and The Chaplain’s Table Where: diture; “the remainder should be reached a surplus situation, the A further area of Fee’s discus- offers intellectual chatter. Cabot Auditorium invested in short-term, low-risk Treasury retains “the discretion to sion was the proposed library ex- investments” such as certificates invest such funds in longer com- pansion. According to Fee, the A&E .............................. p. 7 Sponsored by: of deposit (CDs) and “high quality mitment instruments.” expansion process is currently in Our writer traveled to Freeport and Lecture Series Mutual Funds.” the “design development phase.” livedtotellaboutit,andtheMFAhosts Since some Treasury checks see TREASURY, page 6 The proposal now at hand would page two THE TUFTS DAILY Tuesday, September 21,1993 THETUFTS DAILY Rebels wage war on Peruvian Indians Elin M.