Kirkland House Evacuated As Fire Department Responds to Steam Valve Malfunction

Kirkland House was evacuated for at least half an hour Sunday night after a malfunctioning steam valve triggered a fire alarm, prompting a response from the Cambridge Fire Department.

A large amount of steam was seen billowing from a ventilation system near the temporary kitchen in front of Eliot House, which is currently under renovation. An officer at the scene said steam was escaping from a high-pressure pipe connected to an underground steam room at regular intervals, sending plumes across the Eliot construction site.

Responders closed off the intersection of South and Dunster Street around 10:15 p.m. Firefighters remained on the scene for another hour, and began evacuating residents from the House who remained in their rooms at 11:15 p.m.

Kirkland Faculty Deans Downing Lu and Peter J. Huybers opened their residence for evacuated residents of Kirkland house to shelter while they wait for the building to be cleared.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

—Staff writer Hugo C. Chiasson contributed reporting

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.

—Staff writer Claire A. Michal can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at ClaireMichal.154.