Crosby Hall Closed; University Repairing Damage Resulting from Steam-Pipe Accident on Wednesday

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo today completed clean up of the basement of Crosby Hall on the UB South (Main Street) Campus, where a steam-pipe accident Wednesday afternoon resulted in the death of a 25-year UB employee.

Crosby Hall will be closed for classes and other activities at least through Sunday. Students, faculty and staff in the School of Architecture and Planning should call 829-3485 over the weekend for information on Crosby Hall's reopening.

Only Crosby Hall, which houses programs of the UB School of Architecture and Planning, has been closed. All other classes and activities on the South Campus will go on as planned.

The accident also shut down access to UB's computer network for some buildings on the South Campus, as well as some off-campus sites.

The employee who died in the accident has been identified by the university as David L. Shrader, 48, of Eden. A stationary engineer, Shrader had worked at UB since Dec. 1, 1977.

UB President William R. Greiner noted that "the entire University at Buffalo community joins me in expressing our great sorrow for this tragic loss. Although a rare occurrence for UB, we are all seriously affected when such a sudden and horrible event does occur in our UB family."

Greiner added that it was "with the heaviest of hearts" that he extended UB's "deepest condolences and sympathies" to Shrader's family and friends, as well as to his friends and colleagues in UB's Division of University Facilities.

Vice President for University Services Kevin Seitz said the university is cooperating with the New York State Department of Labor's Public Employee Safety and Health Program in the investigation of the accident.

Seitz said UB will do a safety review and an operational review of Crosby before clearing it to be reopened.

He explained that the steam pipes in the basement room where the accident occurred are wrapped in asbestos pipe insulation, some of which was torn away in the accident. Air testing done this morning has shown it is safe for university personnel to enter the building to do safety and operational reviews.

From an operational perspective, Seitz said the university will be assessing damage to the building caused by steam and water to determine what repairs need to be made and how they will impact on the building's reopening.

Further information will be released when available.