The new Ferguson Center Subway was forced to shut down Friday when a key electrical component of its hot water heater failed, compromising the safety and sanitation of the restaurant.
Kristina Hopton-Jones, director of University Dining Service, said Bama Dining checks the water temperature every hour to ensure that it is at the correct temperature, and that, prior to the component’s failure, the water had been at the correct temperature all morning.
“Coincidentally, the health inspector was inspecting the food court and main kitchen at the time that the water heater stopped working,” Hopton-Jones said. “When he checked the temperature at Subway, the temperature was going up on his thermometer, but then it stopped and the water pressure dropped down to almost nothing. That is when they realized there was a problem.”
According to Hopton-Jones, the Subway was then shut down at 11:30 a.m.
“UA Plumbing came over and identified the failure of an electrical component in the hot water heater for Subway,” she said. “Once the problem was identified, parts were obtained and the situation was resolved.”
Subway then reopened at 3:30 p.m., when the health inspector could verify that the heater had been fixed.
According to sources within Bama Dining, the restaurant still passed its health exam, scoring higher than an 80 on its inspection. However, the state Board of Health Safety requires all restaurants that do not have properly running hot water to shut down instantly, as was the case with Subway.
Hillary Watson, a junior majoring in education, said she had planned on eating at Subway for lunch on Friday and was curious as to why it wasn’t serving sandwiches.
“It’s been the most popular restaurant on campus since it opened,” Watson said. “I was headed to go stand in line when I saw that it was closed. It didn’t make any sense. I’m glad to know that it was just the hot water heater and not a bunch of food violations that caused it to close. I’ll be back in line waiting for a sandwich on Monday.”
Jimmy Campbell, a freshman majoring in exercise science, said he felt the restaurant’s reputation was not harmed by its forced closure on Friday.
“It could have been much worse,” Campbell said. “Their bread wasn’t moldy, their food wasn’t expired; it was just their hot water heater. I guarantee that the restaurant’s popularity will not be harmed by the incident.”
Hopton-Jones said all of Bama Dining is very careful to follow Board of Health Safety procedures.
Subway will continue to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
