Administration Building evacuated for half an hour

Suddenly, the alarm went off in the Administration Building at Utrecht Science Park. Hundreds of employees rushed outside quickly but calmly. Everyone wondered if something was happening or if it was just a drill.

The alarm kept going. The security guards couldn't turn it off and were busy making phone calls. Inside, in front of the reception desk, support staff waited in orange vests. Outside, the employees enjoyed the warm, sunny day. They chatted cheerfully, some even continuing their meetings.

After half an hour, the alarm stopped. "Can we let people back in?" the security guards asked their manager. But no, they couldn't do it right away because no one had been notified that it was a drill.

After inspecting all the floors, a security guard found the probable cause of the alarm on the fifth floor, where the Executive Board has its offices: broken glass and a small white ball. "I suppose a ping pong ball hit the alarm glass and broke it,’ said Security Team Leader Mark Snoek. The university is still investigating who might have done that.