Over winter break, below-freezing temperatures caused the sprinkler pipes in Offenhauer West to burst, flooding many dorm rooms. 

Some of the rooms had severe damage, while others only had minimal damage. 

According to an email from Cole McKane, Offenhauer Hall Director, Campus Operations were able to attend to the problem immediately. This reduced most of the damage to wet floors and carpets. 

This email was sent to all students living in Offenhauer West whose rooms may have been affected by the waterline break. It also informed students that Campus Operations and professional cleaning crews removed all of the water and dried the carpet before students returned to their dorm rooms. 

While the floors are now dry, some students may have property damage. Marissa Sharaba, a student whose room is located on the 6th floor, said their room was flooded. 

“I got a phone call [from the Office of Residence Life] and they said it was affected but there was no visible damage,” she said. When Sharaba returned from winter break, she confirmed her dorm had minimal damage. 

Students living in Offenhauer West whose rooms were affected looked to the social media app, Yik Yak, to find more information about the waterline break. 

According to an anonymous post on the app, students “heard it was 7th floor West, but 6th floor and most down that were affected might not be bad, but depends on how severe the flooding is.” 

Another anonymous post said they live on the 4th floor and still got a call about their room being affected. 

Falcon Media reached out to BGSU Residence Life via email for more information but received no response.

Falcon Media also reached out to the Administration via email for a comment and received no response. 

Any students who experienced severe damage from the waterline break were expected to complete a form stating what was damaged. This would allow BGSU to cover any property that was significantly damaged by the water.  

Even so, when an event like a waterline break occurs, having renters’ insurance may be important. While renters’ insurance is not required for college students, it is recommended. 

According to State Farm, renters’ insurance covers your stuff — like computers, TVs, electronics, bicycles, furniture, and clothing — both inside and away from your apartment, condominium, or rental home. It may also cover your stuff outside your place.

Renters’ insurance runs about $15 a month for approximately $35,000 in coverage limits. 

In this case, anything that was damaged and not replaced or reimbursed by BGSU may be covered through renters’ insurance.