News

Breaking: Triggered alarm causes West Library evacuation

Kehinde Hopkins and Roxanne Dominguez • May 7, 2026

Evacuated students, faculty and staff loiter outside of the West Library moments after an alarm sounded.

At around 1:10 p.m., a fire alarm sounded in the West Library causing students, faculty and staff to immediately evacuate the building on Tuesday, May 7.

The alarm was caused by repairs being done on the alarm system, Director of Security Chris Beckrich said.

The evacuation ended at around 1:35 p.m. and the library was reopened, student library assistants said.

Senior English major Dulce Ramirez was taking a final exam on the second floor of the library when the alarm went off and her entire class was forced to leave the building.

“It’s pretty inconvenient,” Ramirez said. “I was working, trying to do this exam. I was getting it done, I finally found my flow state and this happens and now I have to go back and get back in that mindset.”

Digital Initiatives Librarian Megan Morris helped organize the evacuation.

“I just treat it like it’s an actual fire, I just wanna make sure everyone’s out of the building,” Morris said.

West Library

About the Contributors

Kehinde Hopkins, Editor-in-Chief

Kehinde Hopkins is a junior English and Mass Communication major at Texas Wesleyan University. Born and raised in Dallas, Kehinde is also a player on the Texas Wesleyan men’s soccer team. Deeply fascinated by the boundless gift that is writing, working for the Rambler has afforded him a platform to exercise such. After graduating, he hopes to become a political or general news journalist to further explore his relationship with writing.

Roxanne Dominguez, Social Media Manager

Roxanne Dominguez is a freshman marketing major at Texas Wesleyan University. She wants to use her degree to become either a radio host or a content marketer. Content creation is something she’s always done for fun. Now, she’s excited for the opportunity to gain experience and create content here at The Rambler.

Mica Magday, Managing Editor

Mica Magday is a multimedia journalist from Arlington, Texas, and a senior at Texas Wesleyan University majoring in mass communication with a minor in studio arts. In the summer of 2025, she interned with The Well News, a D.C. based publication, where she worked as a writer and graphic designer. She also has had work published on the Texas Standard, NPR and aired on KERA. A quick way to her heart is through conversations about food, travel, thrifting and fashion. Mica cherishes time with her Filipino family and community and is passionate about uncovering the profound stories of everyday people in her area through journalism.