Residents of College’s newest accommodation block were struck with terror on Monday night as a male voice was broadcast directly into student bedrooms.
Around 0.45am on Tuesday morning, residents of Printing House Square heard strange noises in their rooms before “a really loud and terrifying ‘hello’” boomed over from the speakers in their ceiling.
Printing House resident Connor Dempsey told Trinity News: “It started off with a fairly loud click or thudding sound, like the door had opened or something had fallen. And then an inquisitive “hello”.”
Isobella Walsh, also a resident, described hearing “a really loud rustle from the toilet and it genuinely sounded like there was a person in the room, [it] scared the life out of us”.
“Then a really loud and terrifying ‘hello’ came out and we got the life scared out of us. We went into the hall and all my roommates were gathered there terrified that something was going on at 1am.”
Several residents reported congregating with flatmates in confusion following the incident, for which no explanation has been offered.
Dempsey added that it is “weird they have the power to speak directly into our rooms – we didn’t know about that”.
“I felt like my space had been invaded a bit but of course I understand if it was a software error or unintentional.”
One resident told Trinity News that Printing House security had appeared equally confused by the incident, suggesting that it may not have been a member of staff who spoke over the intercom.
A spokesperson for College clarified that the Public Address and Voice Alarm (PAVA) system is a component of the fire alarm installation in Printing House Square apartments.
Residents said that during fire drills, the speaker would play an automated voice telling them to evacuate, but they were unaware the speaker could broadcast live to their rooms.
Residents were disturbed again the following night when the fire alarm sounded for about two seconds at 1am.
In a statement to Trinity News, College said: “We are aware that PHS residents were disturbed on two consecutive nights. The incident has been investigated and has not reoccurred.”
“We apologise for the inconvenience.”
College have so far been unable to shed any light on the incident which is “being looked into”.
