While many students spent winter break enjoying hot chocolate with family or binge-watching their favorite shows, others returned to devastating news. On Jan. 9, The Dolphin Digest reported that a ruptured water pipe during winter break caused extensive flooding in one of the apartment buildings at Le Moyne College’s Heights complex, displacing multiple student residents and forcing what college officials called a full interior demolition.
Those officials told The Dolphin the damage stemmed from frozen pipes after a window was left open and the thermostat was turned off in one apartment. Because students were away for break, the leak went undiscovered for several days.
According to Jason Mott, director of Facilities Management at Le Moyne, prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures caused the pipes to freeze. When water freezes, it expands, cracking copper pipes and allowing water to run continuously through the building.
“We noticed icicles forming where they normally wouldn’t,” Mott said. “When staff went to investigate, they found significant water damage. The window was wide open, and the heat was turned off.”
“All three apartments were a total loss,” Mott explained. “The ceilings were soaked and developed mold. The hardwood floors cupped from moisture expansion. Kitchens, bathrooms, insulation. Everything had to be removed. Right now, it’s down to the two-by-fours.”
Students living in the affected building were forced to relocate, even those whose belongings were not directly damaged.
However, some students say the disruption extended beyond physical damage. One resident who was not living in the flooded unit but was forced to relocate told The Dolphin she first learned about the situation through an email.
“I got an email… saying that we have to move out of our apartment,” she said. She was not in the building at the time of the flood, as it occurred during winter break.
Although she did not lose personal belongings, she described the relocation as disruptive during the start of the semester. “It was pretty disruptive when it happened, but since moving, it’s calmed down,” she explained. The student, who declined to be named in this piece, added that she wished the college had communicated sooner before she returned, rather than after coming back.
Another resident who had to move during the flood described the stress of receiving the relocation notice during the first week of classes. “I left class when we got that email saying that we had to move out and they did not know where we were going,” she said. “It frightened me.”
She explained that packing and moving during the start of the semester created academic strain. “We were all trying to go to class and do our work while trying to pack up everything… which took days.”
Although none of her belongings were destroyed by flooding, the move still resulted in unexpected expenses. “We had to get all new curtain rods and curtains because the new dimensions didn’t fit the old ones,” she said. “New command strips, new command hooks.”
Students acknowledged that the college did reach out regarding moving assistance, though these students said the process still felt overwhelming, given the timing. With contractors set to work in the building for months due to flood and asbestos remediation, displaced residents say the sudden transition added emotional and academic pressure during an already busy return to campus.
Emails were sent to impacted students sharing relocation information, initially stating this would be a temporary move for a 3-week period. However, Mott told The Dolphin this won’t be possible this semester because contractors will be working in the building for months.
Residenst will not return to their original units this semester.
“We’ll have contractors in there at 7 a.m. using hammers and drills,” Mott said. “It wouldn’t be fair to students trying to live and study there.”
Officials estimate the building will not be ready until at least the fall semester. The remediation process has already taken several weeks. Crews installed industrial fans and dehumidifiers to remove moisture from the structure before rebuilding begins.
“When sheet rock gets wet, it acts like a sponge,” Mott said. “We cut it out two feet up from the floor anywhere it was affected. We don’t enclose anything that could potentially grow mold.”
Testing also revealed small traces of asbestos in joint compound materials and basement flooring, he said. A certified environmental remediation company was brought in to safely remove contaminated materials.
“Asbestos is not dangerous when undisturbed,” Mott said. “But once it’s disturbed, fibers can become airborne. So we bring in certified professionals to remove it properly.” Clothing exposed to asbestos contamination is considered a total loss, Mott said. Money and jewelry items may be cleaned and returned, but soft materials are unlikely to be salvageable.
For affected students, the flood meant unexpected relocation and personal loss. For the college, it meant structural damage, insurance claims, and months of reconstruction.
As restoration continues, officials emphasize that maintaining a safe and livable campus environment remains their priority.
“Facilities’ responsibility is to provide a safe, clean, non-contaminated space for students to live, study, and grow,” Mott said.
