A cloud of gray, smoke-like material billowed out of the side vent of Garner Hall at around 8:50 p.m. Saturday evening. However, this substance trapped under the breezeway awning was no fire. This was steam.

“It’s a major steam leak,” said Mark Ashby, firefighter for the Urbana Fire Department.

Although people were not in any real danger, the Fire Department told everyone to stay out of the tunnels that connect Garner and Forbes halls for their own safety, Ashby said. A Forbes Hall resident adviser was stationed at the Forbes entrance to the tunnels, while firefighters and Garner resident advisers were keeping bystanders away from the steaming building.

Still, the Fire Department could not do more than wait for the steam to be shut off by University Housing maintenance staff, Ashby said. They ended up spending some time sitting in their emergency vehicle.

“We’re going to leave (turning the steam off) to the University,” Ashby said.

The situation left residents, who were trying to get into their residence halls, upset.

“I am pissed,” said Megan Olin, freshman in LAS. “I could spit on this fire faster than they’re putting it out right now.”

Maureen Liddy, freshman in LAS, and Hailey Koschmann, freshman in Business, said they just wanted to sleep. Both are on the University golf team and had a qualifying tournament Sunday, they said.

Ting Wang Lee, freshman in Engineering, did not think the situation was very serious until he saw what he thought was smoke.

“I thought there was an actual fire,” he said.

At first, he said he thought the fire alarm was set off like some in his high school had been – popcorn burning in the microwave.

“I deal with circuits, I don’t deal with fire,” Wang Lee said.

Jaime Rizo, an on duty Garner Hall resident advisor and senior in Business, said that even though the steam leak was not a fire, it was just as hot as one.

However, during most of the muggy predicament, Forbes Hall’s Late Night became the place to wait out the event in comfort.

“I want my i-card so I can get food at Late Night,” Olin said.

The steam was shut off and residents were let back in to their moistened homes at about 9:45 p.m.