Durian Smell Prompt Evacuation of 550 People From Australian University Library

Via Facebook

Remember what happened to Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) university last year, where a rotting durian left at the university campus library caused about 500 students and teachers to be evacuated?

Well, it happened again. This time, the durian caused havoc to a library in the University of Canberra on Friday (May 10), CNA reported.

The Emergency Services Agency said firefighters were called to the campus early Friday afternoon “following reports of a strong smell of gas”.

Around 550 people evacuated the building in under six minutes while the firefighters investigated the source of the smell.

After an hour of the firefighters completing the search of the building, the source of the smell was later traced to “a durian fruit in one of our bins”, said a Facebook post by the University of Canberra Library. The university library added that the durian had been removed from the building in a sealed bag.

HAZMAT crews also conducted atmospheric monitoring to ensure the area was safe. The library was reopened shortly after, causing laughter across all board on its Facebook page.

They said while food was allowed in parts of the library “it’s not appropriate student conduct if they did it on purpose, and lack of common sense if they didn’t”.