A little before 10 a.m. on Oct. 8, Corvallis Fire Department Station #1 was dispatched to the Dixon Recreation Center on Oregon State University’s campus. 

A gas leak was reported that began on the east side of the facility and led to an evacuation.

Lieutenant Christian Fox said the leak was an accident caused by the Capital Construction team nonpurposefully hitting a gas line, which she said was “run of the mill for campus construction.” 

According to an email from Brian Hustoles, director of marketing and communications for student experiences and recreation, approximately 150 recreation sports members and staff were in the building when the pipe was struck. 

OSU’s public safety team forwarded this message to the entire campus, urging students and facility users to stay away from Dixon until the gas leak was cleared, roughly at 11:20 a.m.

Fox mentioned that two engines, along with the Battalion Chief on shift, were dispatched to the location to quickly isolate the gas leak and prevent further contamination of the surrounding areas.

Although not mentioned in the campus-wide message, Fox said that along with Dixon, Langton Hall was also closed and evacuated, and guarded by OSU staff to alert members of closed pathways and entrance ways. 

In addition to evacuating and isolating the leak, firefighters were in charge of creating a system of proper ventilation through a series of ventilation strategies. 

According to the American Trade Mark Co., a company dedicated to incident command, it was crucial to the building that any ventilation strategies being used were considerate of the structure of Dixon, as well as the nature of the leak. 

They used air monitors to measure the gas leak, as well as create a plan of execution that would ensure Dixon could remain in operation fully, once back open. 

“This specific leak was related to construction,” Fox said. “In these situations, leaks happen due to poorly marked (gas) lines, and are typical of construction sites.”

When asked why OSU continues to have these gas leaks, Fox said that poorly marked lines are the primary reason, especially in newer construction zones. It is unclear whether or not the age of Dixon had any impact on this event. 

At this time, Hustoles told The Daily Barometer that no operations have shut down due to this leak, and all aspects of Dixon, those not impacted by construction, are able to be used to their extent. 

Dixon Recreation Center was originally constructed in 1974, and given the population growth of OSU, they continued facility expansions in 1992 and 2004 to fit the growing need for a recreation facility. 

Dixon employs nearly 400 student staff annually, according to Hustoles, and serves approximately 850,000 visits annually, making it a popular spot on campus. 

According to the Recreational Sports’ website, their mission is “to support success by creating engaging environments for student growth and success.” They aim to provide students with quality facilities that support the educational and recreational part of OSU students. 

Since the leak on Oct. 8, Dixon has resumed normal operations. Members can use any resource at Dixon without restriction.