Servicemaster crews working in Ross Hall (center) have permission to park their vehicles on the sidewalk to leave Farm House Lane open for vehicle traffic. Pedestrians are asked to use the sidewalk along the east side of the road. Photo by Christopher Gannon.
A disaster recovery team from Servicemaster has been working since Monday to clean soot and smoke damage throughout Ross Hall, caused by an early morning fire Feb. 22 that was contained to a first-floor custodial closet. The first-floor corridor sustained considerable heat and smoke damage. The cleaning team estimates cleanup will take four to six weeks, which includes removing ceiling tiles on all floors.
The building is closed to the public, but Ross Hall occupants with key access are allowed in only to retrieve personal items at this time. Classes that meet in Ross Hall have been moved to other locations until cleaning and repairs are completed. The Ames Fire Department and ISU Police are conducting a joint investigation of the cause of the fire.
