Date: February 11, 2026
It was a tricky moment. Senior Vice President Knowles and Senior Vice President Burridge were both working in their offices. The alarm went off, preceded by a loud rumbling. Fire trucks arrived quickly. It was early evening on Monday.
I was notified and called the Director of Facilities, Mr. John Erbe, asking him to come in. The discovery was made quickly: a sprinkler had malfunctioned in Bohlen. The result was significant water damage, extending right down to the basement. John stayed on campus and did not leave until the fire safety system was back online. This means that it is safe to go into Aspinwall and Bohlen. However, given the extent of the water damage, we decided to keep these buildings offline yesterday to allow time for the carpets to dry and to begin assessing who may need to relocate while repairs are made.
I want to thank all those who reported the problem, and especially the facilities team, who managed the crisis with professionalism. We were calm and prompt. Thank you, everyone.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and the President of The General Theological Seminary.Â