Students studying meteorology in Davis Hall felt the building shake just before their classroom window was smashed by an antenna during its removal Thursday.

Physical Plant Director John Harrod said that construction was being done to replace the hall roof, and it was necessary to remove an antenna tower from the building in order to continue repairs.

Associate Geography Professor Allen Staver said he was lecturing a meteorology class of about 10 students on the second floor of Davis Hall when the antenna crashed into the classroom window on the east side of the building and fell to the ground outside. He said the crash happened at about 11:15 a.m.

Roland Schreiber, NIU Physical Plant assistant director and architect, said, “It was purely an accident.” He said the Mascal Electric Company based in DeKalb was “removing an old tower as part of their contract. I think they thought it was anchored to the roof.” Schreiber said the workers “cut the guy wires, and it (the tower) got away from them.”

The tower, located on the northwest corner of the building, fell on a lower roof and bounced on the east side where it broke the window and fell to the ground, Schreiber said.

The electrical workers are believed not to have been negligent, he said.

The cost of the broken window and any other damage that might be found will be paid by the electrical company, Schreiber said.

NIU student Donna Holdridge said she was in Staver’s class when the accident happened. Holdridge said she felt the building shake and heard two loud thumps just before the antenna crashed into the window.

Randy Robinson, another NIU student, said he was sitting about four feet away from the window when the antenna crashed. He said the drapes covering the window kept the glass from hitting him.

Holdridge said that about 15 minutes after the accident, one of the electrical workers came into the classroom and said “Oh, sorry about that.”