University bigwigs schmoozing with Governor Pat Quinn had to chew their mushroom risotto by candlelight last night, after a failed transformer in the alleyway behind the Quadrangle Club cut the power and triggered a false fire alarm.
The alarms of the Quad Club first went off at 6:10 pm, unnerving guests attending the third-annual Business Diversity Symposium. As the initial bell ramped up to the full-volume screech familiar to all residents of the campus housing system, agitated administrators joined throngs of investment bankers and high-powered lawyers in a silent march—fingers plugged into ears—onto the sidewalk on 57th Street.
“I heard that people were wondering if this was some scheme because I couldn’t reach the lamb chops,” President Robert Zimmer said, after the alarms had ceased at around 6:30 pm, allowing the soiree to continue.
The nature of the electrical failure that caused the power outage has yet to be determined, according to Angel Perez, a ComEd technician at the scene.
