College Unsure About Paying Flood Damages

University officials said yesterday they were not sure about who will pay the estimated $80,000 worth of damage in Hollis Hall caused by a flood from a fire sprinkler Friday night.

But at least one student said University officials told him "it's not likely" Harvard will pay for the damage.

Dylan R. Nieman '98 hung his tuxedo for his cousin's bar mitzvah on a water sprinkler head at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, setting off sprinklers throughout the building.

Facilities maintenance officials will return to the scene today to further assess damage and clean up, said Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth S. Nathans.

She said the administration will decide whether Harvard will reimburse students after facilities maintenance officials report their findings.

Nathans added that she believes "most students have insurance," but did not comment as to whether insurance companies will have to cover the damage.

Some Hollis residents are wondering how much, if any at all, Harvard will reimburse them.

"I don't know that Harvard has decided what it will or won't do," said Anil K. Soni '98.

According to Soni, Assistant Dean of Freshman W.C. Burris Young '55 told him "it is not likely" that the University will cover damages.

Young declined to comment yesterday. Officials at facilities maintenance could not be reached for comment yesterday.

University officials have not been clear about who will pay for the damage, said Phuonglien T. Nguyen '98, a second-floor Hollis resident whose room is directly below Nieman's.

According to Nguyen, Superintendent of Freshman Dormitories Kathleen A. Bray told her that Harvard will "see about" compensation for uninsured goods.

Harvard officials told students to compile lists of all damaged and destroyed items from their rooms for their insurance companies, Nguyen said. If the insurance companies will not cover damage to their personal belongings, or if items damaged were Harvard property, students should report it to Bray, she said.

Nguyen, whose clothing was destroyed by a combination of water and grease, said she is checking her homeowner's insurance to see if it will cover the damage.

Nieman yesterday disputed the initial police estimate of the damage, $80,000, calling it "ridiculous."

"I would guess just a couple thousand [dollars], at most," he said.

Nieman also said that, considering the amount of damage that could have occurred, "we all were pretty lucky."

Nathans said she is pleased about the reliability of the sprinkler systems, although she would rather have had it tested in another way.

"Sprinklers are not meant to be misused," Nathans said. "If sprinklers don't go off easily, kids burn up easily."

Nieman said the water sprayed more than 10 feet away, drenching his computer and answering machine.

"The [computer's] control and option keys won't work, and the answering machine is fucked," Nieman said.

Hollis residents said yesterday that they aren't angry at Nieman.

"No one is bitter or angry as long as it's taken care of," Soni said. "No one is responsible other than Dylan, and he shouldn't have to pay thousands of dollars."