Duke officials held a press conference Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. releasing new details into the incident. 

 

Wednesday afternoon a pipe exploded at Levine Research Lab that killed Rayford Cofer, 63. Cofer had been an employee of Duke since 2001.

 

"Duke will do everything possible to investigate this matter,” said Kemel Dawkins, Vice President of Campus Services. “This investigation could lead to other investigations into other buildings on campus that deals with steam.”

 

The building, located on West Campus, reopened this morning at 9:30 after power was restored shortly before midnight on Wednesday. The building will close Thursday at 5 p.m. to continue the clean up process.

 

According to Duke officials all animals that were in the building at the time of explosion are safe; however the building has no steam or hot water at this time.

 

“We are still investigating exactly how Mr. Cofer died,” Dawkins said.

 

Duke University, the Department of Labor and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating the explosion.

 

The president of the university reached out to Cofer’s widow and children Thursday morning, sending the university’s condolences.

 

Duke officials would give very little details as to the cause of the explosion but said they will release more information as it becomes available. Officials did say the construction close to the building had nothing to do with the explosion.

 

Duke is hoping to prepare a memorial for Cofer, but are still working out the details with his family.