A fire caused significant damage to a room on Level 3 of the ANU Lena Karmel (LK) Lodge late on Monday 2 March, with flooding and smoke damage on Levels 1, 2, and 3.
LK residents were evacuated around 10pm after the fire broke out in an individual room. The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ACT ESA) and the ANU confirmed to Woroni that the fire was likely caused by cooking and was contained to a single residential room.
One person was transported to hospital for smoke inhalation.
All floors were evacuated and deemed safe by ACT Fire & Rescue by 1:05 Tuesday morning, with unaffected residents on levels 4, 5 and 6 allowed to return to their rooms around 1:15am.
As a result of the fire, sprinklers were activated in several adjoining rooms, causing the significant flooding on Levels 1, 2, and 3 of the building.
As of 3:30pm on Tuesday, many residents on these floors were still unable to return to their rooms.
The ANU confirmed that “around 90” students who reside on the affected floors have been relocated to either Davey, Kinloch, or Warrumbul Lodge while residence officials assess the safety of their rooms.
Unilodge, who operate LK, told residents whose rooms are affected by fire damage that they “will be offered alternative accommodation until the condition of their room is rectified to an appropriate level.”
They followed with an update Tuesday evening informing residents that parts of Level 1, 2 and 3 were still unsafe, “due to the water damage and power isolation”. All affected students have been offered alternative accommodation and those already in surrounding lodges “will remain accessible to [them] until [their] room is ready for reoccupation.”
LK residents were advised by Unilodge that they would “continue to assist residents with access for essential items”, but that these requests “will not be able to be facilitated after 6pm, Tuesday 4th of March until 8am Wednesday 5th of March 2025.”
The ANU told Woroni that “[as] always in these situations, the safety and wellbeing of our residents was our top priority.”
There are multiple grants and financial support options available for affected students.
Students can contact the ANUSA support team on 02 6125 2444 Monday–Friday from 9am to 5pm, or email them at sa.admin@anu.edu.au
The following are the relevant bursary and grant options available from ANU and ANUSA.
ANU Student Urgent Relief Bursary:
Bursary of up to $2000 a year as immediate financial assistance.
ANU Emergency Accommodation Bursary:
To help with unexpected financial difficulty in paying for accommodation costs.
ANUSA Accommodation Assistance Program:
Accommodation at Canberra Accommodation Centre for up to 7 days.
Grant of up to $750 a semester to assist with relieving sudden or unexpected financial hardship.
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