Three LAFD vehicles responded to white smoke on campus in between Wallis Annenberg Hall and Grace Ford Salvatori Hall on Sept. 14.
Around 6:30 p.m. a USC Department of Public Safety officer noticed smoke emerging from a vent in the ground. DPS called the fire department as a precaution, said Assistant Chief David Carlisle in a message to Annenberg Media.
LAFD arrived by 6:50 p.m. and observed the scene. Around 7:10 p.m., firefighters began using caution tape to block off the area between the two buildings to passerbys. The area was blocked off to make sure there was no chemical leak, said Carlisle.
Two firefighters then approached the steam wearing protective gear around their eyes and nose. Around 7:40 p.m., firefighters took down all the caution tape, reopening the area to foot traffic.
Just after 8:00 p.m., Carlisle confirmed “it was just steam” and that emergency personnel were leaving campus.