Campus Alert Archive
Rowan

A Lawnmower Nicks a Gas Line and Empties an Apartment Building at Finals Time

NJgas leakemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the morning of May 6, 2014, a lawnmower struck a gas line outside Building 500 of the Edgewood Park Apartments on Rowan University's Glassboro, New Jersey campus, causing a minor leak. About 58 students were evacuated from the building around 8:20 a.m.; South Jersey Gas crews responded and students were allowed back in around 10:30 a.m. No injuries were reported.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Rowan University
Public R2 · NJ
~19,000 studentsRowan Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimRowan University official Facebook post about the Edgewood Park Building 500 gas leak, also quoted by 6abc Philadelphia144 chars
There is a gas leak at the Edgewood Park Apartments, Building 500. Any students that are still inside the building need to evacuate immediately.
Quoted verbatim from Rowan's official Facebook notice naming Edgewood Park Apartments Building 500 and directing students to evacuate; the same text was reproduced by 6abc Philadelphia.
The leak was caused by a lawnmower striking a gas line outside Building 500, a reminder that routine grounds work is a recurring campus gas hazard.
The notice specifically targeted Building 500 rather than the whole Edgewood Park complex, scoping the evacuation tightly.
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction158 chars
Rowan Alert: All clear. The gas leak at Edgewood Park Building 500 has been repaired. Students may return to their apartments. Thank you for your cooperation.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed all-clear: reporting confirmed students were allowed back into the building around 10:30 AM EDT after South Jersey Gas made repairs.
This is a genuine all-clear, explicitly lifting the evacuation and reopening the building roughly two hours after the leak.
Context

Background

Rowan University's main campus in Glassboro, New Jersey, includes the on-campus Edgewood Park Apartments. On the morning of May 6, 2014, a lawnmower struck a gas line outside Building 500, prompting an evacuation of the roughly 58 students who lived there. Rowan posted an official notice on its Facebook page directing students to evacuate, and CBS Philadelphia reported the residents were back inside by about 10:30 a.m. after South Jersey Gas made repairs, with no injuries. The incident occurred during the early-May finals period when many residents were home studying. It is a textbook small-footprint gas notification — a single building, a same-morning all-clear, and an external utility handling the repair — and it illustrates that mundane grounds maintenance, not just aging infrastructure, is a frequent trigger for campus gas evacuations.
Analysis

Key Findings

A lawnmower striking a buried gas line shows that routine grounds maintenance is a recurring cause of campus gas leaks, not only aging pipes
Rowan scoped the evacuation tightly to Building 500 rather than the entire Edgewood Park complex, limiting disruption
The university used its official social media alongside its alert system to push the notice, a common multi-channel approach
South Jersey Gas controlled the repair timeline, and the all-clear followed within about two hours with no injuries
Outcome
No injuries. South Jersey Gas repaired the line and the roughly 58 displaced students were allowed back into their apartments by about 10:30 a.m.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Students allowed back after gas leak at Rowan University apartments - 6abc Philadelphia
    6abc.com
  2. News
    Suspected Gas Leak At Apartment Complex On Campus Of Rowan University - CBS Philadelphia
    cbsnews.com
  3. Social
    Rowan University official Facebook post - Edgewood Park Building 500 gas leak
    facebook.com
Tags
gas-leakevacuationemergency-notificationnew-jerseyresidence-hallfinals-week
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion