Video shows several feet of floodwater building outside the glass doors of an off-campus student home in Glassboro, New Jersey, before one door suddenly gave way. Water rushed into the lower level, where four bedrooms were later reported to have sustained extensive damage. The flooding occurred on Aug. 27, as Rowan University students prepared to move into housing ahead of the September school-year start. The wider southwestern New Jersey region received between 4 and 6 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
| 1) | Floodwaters build outside the student home |
| 2) | Glass doors fail as water pressure rises |
| 3) | Lower-level rooms suffer extensive damage |
| 4) | University issues a flash-flood warning |
| 5) | Storm rainfall affects southwestern New Jersey |
Floodwaters build outside the student home
The incident took place at an off-campus residence used by Rowan University students in Glassboro, New Jersey. Severe storms produced flash flooding on Aug. 27, while students were preparing to move into the home before the fall semester. At the beginning of the recorded video, about an inch of water had already entered the lower level.
As a student approached the entrance, a much deeper volume of water was visible outside the glass doors. Towels had been placed along the base of the French doors in an effort to slow the incoming water. The footage documented the conditions as the floodwater continued to accumulate against the entrance.
Glass doors fail as water pressure rises
The video shows the student observing that the door appeared close to breaking. Seconds later, one panel gave way and was thrown across the room as water surged through the opening. The force of the flooding quickly overwhelmed the entrance and sent water across the lower level.
“This door is gonna break.”
After the door failed, several makeshift barriers made from laundry appeared to slow the first rush only briefly. The recording captured the rapid transition from water gathering outside the residence to the interior being overtaken by floodwater.
Lower-level rooms suffer extensive damage
Resident Tommy Scirrotto said the storm damaged the entire lower level of the home. Four bedrooms were completely flooded, according to a fundraising post describing the aftermath. Furniture, beds and rugs were submerged, leaving extensive damage inside the student residence.
Images associated with the fundraising effort showed the extent of the inundation after the water entered. The affected rooms were part of the off-campus housing being prepared for student occupancy, making the flooding particularly disruptive immediately before the academic year began.
University issues a flash-flood warning
Rowan University issued a severe-weather warning on Aug. 27 as flash-flooding conditions affected the region. The university said water had infiltrated the Glassboro campus and that several campus buildings had taken on water.
The warning urged students and others to exercise caution and remain safe during the storm. The campus advisory came on the same day that flooding damaged the off-campus residence, underscoring the broad effect of the weather across Glassboro.
Storm rainfall affects southwestern New Jersey
The National Weather Service reported that the wider southwestern New Jersey region received between 4 and 6 inches of rain. That rainfall contributed to the flash-flooding conditions that affected homes, student housing and university buildings in and around Glassboro.
Video of the residence, recorded by James DiDomenico, showed how quickly the flooding developed at one location. The footage provides a direct view of the rising water, the failed glass door and the resulting damage, while the reported rainfall totals indicate that the event extended beyond a single property.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | Flash flooding struck Glassboro on Aug. 27. |
| 2 | Floodwater burst through a glass door at an off-campus student home. |
| 3 | Four lower-level bedrooms were reported completely flooded. |
| 4 | Rowan University reported water entering campus buildings. |
| 5 | The region received between 4 and 6 inches of rain. |
Summary
A severe storm caused flash flooding in Glassboro, damaging an off-campus residence used by Rowan University students just before the fall term. Video captured floodwater breaking through a glass door and inundating the lower level, while university officials separately reported water entering campus buildings. The reported damage and rainfall totals illustrate the rapid and widespread impact of the Aug. 27 storm.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the flooding occur?
The flooding occurred on Aug. 27, before Rowan University students were scheduled to move into housing for the September start of the school year.
Where did the incident happen?
It happened at an off-campus student residence in Glassboro, New Jersey, near Rowan University.
How much damage was reported?
Resident Tommy Scirrotto said four lower-level bedrooms were completely flooded, with furniture, beds and rugs submerged and extensive damage reported.
How much rain fell in the region?
The National Weather Service reported between 4 and 6 inches of rain across the wider southwestern New Jersey region.
