The swimming pool in Gabel Hall sprung a leak Thursday, leaving the Learning Center more than a little soggy.

Around 8:30 a.m., Terri Slone, departmental secretary for the Learning Center, noticed that something did not sound right.

“I was in my office typing when I heard a bubbling sound,” Slone said. “Within 20 minutes, the place was flooded.”

The squishing sound of water could be heard as Slone walked around the office late Thursday afternoon.

Crews still were pumping water out of the carpet and surrounding rooms.

All but about 3 feet of water from the pool emptied out into the Learning Center, caused by a faulty light lens in the deep end of the pool, said Mike Saari, associate director of building maintenance.

“This is the first time something like this has happened,” Saari said. “This is pretty bad. It was quite a mess.”

“It was astonishing,” said Richard Casey, instructional designer for the Learning Center.

No damage estimates were available at press time, but estimates are expected within the next two or three days, he said. There were no injuries reported.

“There might have been some damage to artifacts from Blackwell [History of Education Museum],” Slone said. “But we don’t know yet.”

All 12 pool light lenses and surrounding structures will be inspected for replacement, Saari said.

Signs posted in Gabel Hall stated the pool would be closed until further notice.

Phones and all electrical plug-ins were shut off while water was being pumped out, Slone said.

Some video conference classes within the Learning Center will be moved to other rooms, Slone said.