Duke employee Rayford Cofer, 63, died in a steam explosion at the Levine Science Research Center Wednesday afternoon.

Cofer, a master steam fitter and employee in Duke's Facilities Management Department since 2001, was working in a mechanical room in the LSRC's basement when a steam line ruptured just before 3 p.m.

After the explosion, alarms went off and more than 100 Duke employees were evacuated from the building. All of the building's systems were shut down, but no other injuries were reported.

Officials said those in the area reported a significant amount of water flooding into the building's basement.

"The water [in the basement] will need to be tested and pumped out before power can be restarted in the building," Vice President for Campus Services Kemel Dawkins said at a press conference Wednesday evening.

Co-workers said Cofer was known as a friend and team player in the department.

In 2002 and 2004, Cofer was the recipient of the Meritorious Service Award, one of the top employee honors at Duke. He also received multiple departmental awards.

"Rayford is one of a key handful of FMD employees who keep this place running," a co-worker said of Cofer in 2004.

A resident of Franklinton, Cofer was regularly involved in the annual steam plant shutdown, during which department members perform maintenance on the system.

The steam plant manufactures steam on campus and pumps it to buildings for heating and cooling. The power has been shut off since the accident.

"It is a sad day for Duke," Dawkins said, after announcing the fatality of the then-unidentified employee. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."

Duke University Police allowed employees back into rooms above the basement and without hazardous materials about an hour and a half after the accident to collect their belongings.

As a result of the explosion, the Web site for the Nicholas School of the Environment was out of service as of Wednesday evening and was being redirected to the Duke University emergency Web site until it could be restored.

The LSRC remained closed for the rest of the evening and employees and students were advised to check the Duke University emergency Web site for updates about the accessibility of the building today.