quote:

As a result of the consistent alarm and to prevent anyone from unplugging the freezer, a notice was placed on its door saying: "THIS FREEZER IS BEEPING AS IT IS UNDER REPAIR. PLEASE DO NOT MOVE OR UNPLUG IT. NO CLEANING REQUIRED IN THIS AREA. YOU CAN PRESS THE ALARM/TEST MUTE BUTTON FOR 5-10 SECONDS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MUTE THE SOUND."

However, when Harrington was cleaning near the lab on September 17th, he heard the "annoying alarms," according to his account of the events told to the university.

In an effort to be helpful, he ended up switching off the circuit breakers — which provides vital electricity to the freezer — believing that he was switching them back on in an "error in his reading of the panel."