Part of robotics building’s ceiling collapses during recent storm

Roof tile collapses due to excess water, and sags the one next to it.

Currently undergoing repair, rooms 902 and 903 are the newest buildings on campus.

A portion of the ceiling in the newly remodeled robotics building collapsed on Sunday, Oct. 24, due to torrential rain and poor water drainage. The damage came as a result of a once-in-a-decade “bomb cyclone,” battering the West Coast with damaging winds and flooding.

Junior Stanley Yang, a member of the Rocketry Club, was at work when the collapse occurred.

“We went outside to test a motor for a rocket and returned to find water all over the floor in the side storage room,” he said.

The leak occurred in a smaller room connected to the main room used by the clubs. Most of the robotics team and Rocketry Club’s equipment was not stored in the room and not damaged, according to Yang. Underneath the leak were two tables and a bucket of wires, which were dried off soon after.

Nobody was in the room when the collapse occurred: “We never actually witnessed it and nobody heard anything collapsing,” Yang said. “Presumably, [the collapse] happened before [we went inside] because the water had all built up by then. But, we also hadn’t noticed it before that point.”

Robotics mentor Reed Kingston told the club members that the leak was in the same spot where there were problems before remodeling.

Assistant Principal Brian Thompson said the rooms affected are the newest ones on campus.

Prior to remodeling, the old robotics rooms had water leaks, but they were supposed to be repaired during the renovations, Thompson said. Last week’s collapse occurred because the contractor who built the 900 wing had penetrated the roof for installation purposes but may not have sealed it properly, he said. Additionally, there was extensive damage to the roof, walls, cabinets and floors.

Senior Sajiv Shah, the MSET lead, said that while it was unfortunate that the ceiling collapse occurred in the newest building on campus, the team will be able to work around the circumstances.

Repairs have been in progress for the past few days. He feels strongly that the leak won’t be an issue in the future once repairs are made.

“Bad things happen, and I think the administration will ensure that it won’t happen again,” he said.