Campus Alert Archive
EPCC

Burned-Out A/C Motor Fills EPCC Valle Verde Building A With Haze, Triggering Tejano Alert and Day-Long Closure

TXfireadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On Monday, March 3, 2025, employees and students at Building A of the El Paso Community College Valle Verde campus were evacuated after the building filled with haze and smoke from a burned-out air conditioning motor. A Tejano Alert was issued advising the campus community to stay away; the building remained closed through the night and students were asked to check with their professors about class schedule impacts. No injuries were reported.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
El Paso Community College
Community College · TX
~27,000 studentsTejano Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction276 chars
Tejano Alert: Due to an ongoing haze/smoke situation at Valle Verde Campus Building A, the premises have been evacuated and will remain closed until further notice. Please check with your professors for any class schedule adjustments. EPCC is working to resolve the situation.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The smoke was caused by a burned-out A/C motor in Building A at the Valle Verde campus
EPCC's Tejano Alert system is named to reflect the college's deep connection to the borderland culture of El Paso
Building A is a primary academic building at the Valle Verde campus, one of EPCC's five locations in El Paso
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction263 chars
Tejano Alert Update: Valle Verde Campus Building A has been cleared and is reopening as of this morning, Tuesday, March 4. Normal class schedules will resume. Thank you for your patience. Contact your professor or the main campus office if you have any questions.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The building remained closed through Monday night; the all-clear was issued for Tuesday morning reopening
As of 4:00 PM Monday, EPCC reported the situation was still being resolved -- full reopening came the following morning
No air quality or health concerns were identified beyond the immediate smoke/haze from the A/C motor failure
Context

Background

El Paso Community College is the largest single-college district in Texas by enrollment, serving approximately 27,000 students across five campuses in El Paso. It is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution with a student body that is over 80 percent Hispanic. The Valle Verde campus is one of the college's main locations in the Lower Valley of El Paso. On March 3, 2025, a burned-out air conditioning motor filled Building A with haze and smoke, prompting evacuation and closure. EPCC issued a Tejano Alert -- its branded emergency notification system -- directing students and staff to stay away and contact professors about schedule adjustments. As of 4:00 PM, EPCC was still working to resolve the situation. The building remained closed through the night, with normal activities scheduled to resume Tuesday. The Tejano Alert system is distinctive among campus emergency notification platforms for its culturally specific branding reflecting El Paso's borderland identity.
Analysis

Key Findings

Burned-out A/C motor filled Valle Verde Building A with haze and smoke on March 3, 2025
EPCC's Tejano Alert was issued, evacuating Building A and closing it through Monday night
No injuries reported; the smoke was mechanical in origin and contained to the building
Students were advised to contact professors about class schedule adjustments
Normal activities resumed Tuesday, March 4, 2025
EPCC's Tejano Alert system is one of the few campus notification platforms with culturally specific branding reflecting borderland identity
Outcome
No injuries. Building A at the Valle Verde campus was closed Monday and into Monday night pending repair and air quality clearance. Normal activities were scheduled to resume Tuesday, March 4. Students were instructed to contact their professors about any course schedule adjustments. The Tejano Alert is El Paso Community College's branded campus emergency notification system.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    EPCC Valle Verde Building Evacuated - KVIA
    kvia.com
  2. News
    El Paso Community College evacuates building in Lower Valley campus due to smoke - KFOX-TV
    kfoxtv.com
  3. News
    EPCC Valle Verde campus closes building due to haze, smoke - KTSM 9 News
    ktsm.com
Tags
firesmokeac-motorcommunity-collegehsitexasel-pasotejano-alertborderlandmechanical-firelower-valley
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion