Since the start of the winter semester, there have been three concerning incidents in the Queen Elizabeth II Library.

On Friday, Jan. 6, a small contained fire was discovered in a third-floor male washroom. The building was evacuated and St. John’s Regional Fire Department quickly responded. A similar situation unfolded on Monday, Jan. 9.  On Tuesday, Jan. 10, there was evidence discovered of another attempted fire in a male washroom.

Open investigation

The RNC are actively investigating this situation with full cooperation of Campus Enforcement and Patrol and senior university officials.

The university is fully prepared to take action and prosecute any individual(s) deliberately and maliciously setting fires and putting people at risk.

Remain vigilant

The university’s top priority is ensuring the safety of students, employees and library resources. Until this situation is resolved, all members of the university community are asked to be extra vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity to CEP by calling 864-4100.

Please pay attention to any in-building alarms and quickly evacuate.

All members of the university community are encouraged to download Memorial’s campus safety app, MUN Safe. While the first notification will always be the audible in-building alarm, the MUN Safe app will provide additional information when it is available. For more information about MUN Safe, please visit here.

Resources available

If this situation is emotionally challenging, there are resources available. Employees are encouraged to talk to their supervisor or avail of the resources available through the Employee Assistance Program. Students can access mental health resources through the Counselling Centre (UC-5000). Appointments can be made in person or by telephone, 864-8874 and walk-in hours are available Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Monday-Friday, 2-5 p.m.