Irene causes leaks but no severe damage on Health Sciences Campus

Fallen and leaning trees and building leaks were the main damage caused by Hurricane Irene on the East Carolina University health sciences campus.

At the Health Sciences Building, windows and the roof leaked. Leaks were the main problem reported in the Brody Medical Sciences Building and the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU. ECU Physicians facilities, including the new Family Medicine Center, sustained some leaks but no structural damage.

Robert Frizzell of the health sciences grounds department cuts up a tree that fell on the Brody School of Medicine campus Tuesday, Aug. 30.

At the School of Dental Medicine, modular units fared well as did the Ross Hall construction site, with only a few loose items being blown away.

West Research Campus buildings had some leaks, and wind damaged a pair of parking lot light fixtures.

ECU’s main campus suffered more damage, with large trees felled, windows broken and more. Wind caused a drain pipe in the roof of Greene residence hall to leak, soaking two floors and sending about two dozen students to the lobby while repairs and clean-up were done.

Irene tore metal sheeting off the roof of the Spilman Building, built in the 1920s and housing offices for the chancellor and other university administrators. Rain soaked ceilings and walls inside, including in the chancellor’s conference room.

Campuswide, officials estimated the cost of repairs from Hurricane Irene could reach $1 million. Dr. Rick Niswander, vice chancellor for finance and administration at ECU, said that number is an early estimate and could change.

ECU expects to use a combination of state and federal funds and insurance money to pay for Irene repairs, Niswander said. State money will come from campus funding for renovations and repairs, he said.

In the community, dental students helped some elderly residents with yard cleanup Monday. “The first person we helped was so grateful she began tearing up as she hugged us, repeating over and over that we were ‘a godsend,'” student Christin Carter, who organized the cleanup effort, said in an email. “That one experience touched all of us and made the entire day worth it.”

Ivan Armstrong of the health sciences grounds department uses a loader to pick up debris on the medical school campus Tuesday, Aug. 30. Photo by Doug Boyd

ECU dental students, from left, Rebecca Ferguson, Haseeb Rauf, Mark Dobransky, Nirav Patel, Shannon Holcomb, Christin Carter, Reeva Sawhney, Matt Morrone, Bridgette Jones and Barry Price pose with Greenville resident “Ms. Doris” after the students worked in her yard Monday, Aug. 29. Contributed photo