Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, February 20, 2014
(BLOOMINGTON) - Indiana University officials say they’re reviewing a long-term fix for the roof of Assembly Hall after an eight-foot metal facing fell from the rafters Tuesday afternoon.
IU officials say the building's drains became frozen from ice and snow, preventing the roof area from draining properly. They believed pressure from the ice and snow caused the beam to fall.
Since the incident all of the snow and ice has been removed from the roof and the structure is now safe.
At a news conference Wednesday, IU says future games will be held as scheduled.
The IU women's basketball team hosted Michigan Wednesday night but Section F, where the metal beam fell was roped off for the game.
The university says an inspection revealed a few places that could have been risky areas and that those have been since been addressed.
Officials also say a design flaw in the roof contributed to the falling beam. They described it as a "valley" in the roof where the snow collected and melted, creating a "super load."
While the inspections were going on, Assembly Hall workers put down rubber flooring to protect the hard court from a heavy crane. The roof was also inspected.
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