U of A Humanities Centre to remain closed for Winter semester following fire

With university classes expected to soon start following the Christmas and New Year break, the University of Alberta says its Humanities Centre will remain closed for the Winter 2024 semester due to a fire that occurred last month.

The university said in a release on Thursday that the Centre suffered an electrical vault fire in December.

Clean up is underway, however, air quality reports and restoration assessments found there is contamination within the Centre that poses a health and safety risk.

“To ensure the safety of all building occupants and of our broader campus community, which must take the highest priority, we are following post-fire best practices,” the university said in its statement.

Classes that were supposed to use the Centre will have alternative teaching, learning, and workspaces available. Students who were expected to have classes in the Humanities Centre are expected to receive further updates from the university.

The Humanities Centre was built in 1972, and housed the Departments of English and Film Studies.