Washing Machine Causes Evacuation of Old Quincy

An overloaded Maytag washing machine interrupted the evening plans of 75 residents of Old Quincy on Saturday evening.

Smoke from the machine set off fire alarms in several entryways--forcing the residents to evacuate and drawing a Cambridge fire engine to the scene.

Smoke, But No Fire

The washing machine, one of three such machines in the basement of F-Entry, had been malfunctioning for a long time, house residents said. But at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, it began emitting large amounts of smoke and set off alarms in entries B through F.

Although no fire accompanied the smoke, the alarms brought six firemen to the Plympton Street building, and students had to stand outside for five to 10 minutes while officials inspected the laundry room.

A few minutes after students returned to their rooms, the alarm went off a second time, witnesses said. However, it stopped almost at once.

"I remember saying, `Oh, no, not again!"' said Barbara J. Van Gorder '89, a resident of C-entry.

Quincy House residents had been told to expect a fire drill.

"I thought they just planned a cute one and decided to test it early," Van Gorder said.

And Eliot P. Feldstein '88, of B-Entry, who was roused from his bed by the alarm, thought it was just his alarm clock going off.

Although "It was a lot louder than I thought my alarm was, I staggered into the shower, and by the time I got out, the fire alarm was over," he said.

The smoke did no lasting damage to the F-entry laundry room, although the offending machine is now half-full of green slime.

Robert O. Lynn '88, who had planned to use the washer Sunday afternoon, decided against it, saying, "I'm not putting my stuff in there."