Pace’s New York City campus was billowing smoke from its windows as a result of an electrical fire from the Con Edison electrical vault which was experiencing malfunctioning equipment on April 9.

The fire started on the west side of 1 Pace Plaza in the basement level and was contained by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) before spreading through the rest of the city campuses main building. Everyone in the building and the residence hall attached- Maria’s Tower, was evacuated at 3:15 pm.

The primary power source of Pace Plaza was shut off by Con Edison and the building was running on limited auxiliary power. There was no electricity in students rooms and only emergency lighting in the halls of the dormitory.

Students were encouraged to travel home if they lived locally or stay with friends in other dormitories until the problem was resolved. Students were allowed back into their dorms at 6 PM when FDNY reported the building was safe.

“I was coming up from the Brooklyn Bridge subway station that’s right by Pace and when I came out I just saw a bunch of smoke coming from the building,” Pace student Kaitlynn Brady said.

Brady stayed by Pace to see what was going on.

“At first I thought it was a dorm fire but then I overheard an RA say it was in C level, which is the basement where the gym is. And then I heard him say that Pace would probably be closed on Monday,” Brady said.

Pace sent out an official statement to students on Sunday night stating that all classes held in the 1 Pace Plaza building would be closed on April 10.

Administrative offices in the building were also closed. Classes were still held on regular schedule in other Pace buildings as well as the Midtown center. Primary power was restored to the building and residence hall early morning on April 10.