Two fire alarms in four days at the Doudna Fine Arts Center are not a problem for the Charleston Fire Department.

The department responded to a fire alarm at the $66-million facility Friday afternoon and Monday morning, but Charleston Fire Chief Kris Phipps said it’s not uncommon for alarms being set off at a new facility.

There were no actual fires within the facility.

On Monday, the alarm went off in the old portion of the building where work was still being done, Phipps said.

While crews were working with a spray, the vision of the smoke alarm system was broken, causing it to activate, he added.

He said in new construction, especially with the magnitude of Doudna, it is common for fire alarms.

The department has responded to calls at the fine arts building a couple times during the summer.

“It didn’t bother us,” Phipps said. “We’re He said the department is working with the university to prevent any accidental fire alarms.

Crews can shut down the fire alarm system for the section of the building they are working in, as long as someone remains in the area to detect any actual fires, Phipps said. When the crews leave, they would turn the system back on, he added.

The fire department did a walk through of the building previously, and Phipps said they are prepared if there is ever a case of an emergency at Doudna.

Another alarm in the near future would not be a surprise, he said.

Matt Hopf can be reached at 581-7942 or at mthopf@eiu.edu.