A widespread power outage hit the Saint Louis University campus on Wednesday, March 23 at approximately 5 p.m. The Department of Public Safety and Security Services reported that Ameren UE has had an internal switch problem affecting the east side of the Frost Campus with power outages from the Clock Tower to the Compton Garage.

Power has been restored to most of the buildings on the Frost Campus as of 8:48 p.m., according to Director of University Communications Clayton Berry. The buildings that lost power will be closed for the rest of the evening to ensure they are secure.

The St. Louis Fire Department also responded to an elevator entrapment that was reported at Fitzgerald Hall around 5:10 p.m.  No injuries were reported.

This outage affected several events on campus including the Great Issues Committee speech that was scheduled in the Busch Student Center.  The event was moved to Chaifetz Arena.  Several buildings on campus are currently closed due to this outage.

“As the power went out, we treated it as any other emergency, so we evacuated the building and I called facilities, and they said the entire grid was out,” BSC Manager Chris Grabau said. “We don’t have any power, so we don’t have any way to support the multiple events going on tonight.”

Grabau confirmed that the BSC will be closed until 7 a.m. on Thursday.

Additional reporting by Andrea Royals and Kristen Miano.

Further updates to come.