An explosion that ripped through a building at UC Berkeley may be tied to the theft of copper wire that led to a power-system failure, reports The Los Angeles Times.
The 6:30 p.m. blast and fire at California Hall left four people with minor injuries. One person was taken to a hospital, a UC Berkeley spokesman said.
About 20 people were believed trapped in elevators Monday night and waiting to be rescued, officials said.
The explosion sent smoke into the air and caused students to flee the campus, where evacuation orders were issued shortly after the blast.
Officials suspect that a power system failure that preceded the blast was caused by the theft of copper wire from an electrical station off campus. The stolen wire was discovered last week and repaired Sunday, he said.
The sprawling campus and dorm areas were dark, except for the lights of police vehicles patrolling campus and enforcing the evacuation orders.
It was unclear Monday night whether classes would resume Tuesday morning.
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