At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2, students and staff were issued a Brandeis Alert concerning “ongoing fire activity” in the Sherman-Hassenfeld building. The email, with the subject line “HazMat/Fire/Gas Leak,” instructed community members to stay away from the area surrounding Sherman-Hassenfeld and to adhere to the detours Public Safety has administered. Those leaving campus were instructed to use the Cedarwood gate or the Tower Lot. Both Brandeis Facilities and Public Services did not immediately respond to our request for comment. 

Stew Uretsky, Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, and Matthew Rushton, Associate Vice President of Campus Operations and Chief Safety Officer, informed Brandeis community members that Sherman Dining Hall and Hassenfeld Conference Center will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 3. The email, sent out at approximately 5:30 p.m., stated that “following Monday afternoon’s fire,” kosher dining options will be available in Usdan at Louis’ Deli. They assured that updates will be forthcoming. 

An update on Tripshot was sent out to users approximately 30 minutes after the initial Brandeis Alert. Riders were informed that the campus shuttle was “suspended because of a fire alert” and that the Waltham shuttle will continue to run but will not enter Loop Road and will instead drop passengers off at the main entrance of campus. The shuttle system became fully operational again at 6:23 p.m. and an alert was sent out to passengers on Tripshot.