2008 Woodie Awards
Sheil fire wakes students; causes damage
Sarah King
Issue date: 5/7/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Who wants to be waken up in the early hours of the morning by a fire alarm? Not the residents of Sheil Hall. On Monday April 11th, Sheil's fire alarm went off, for the third time in three weeks, this time at around 4:30 A.M. The first two incidents were a false alarm, followed by a malfunction with the alarm system. Assuming this was another false alarm, the students bundled up and headed outside, hoping it would be over with as soon as possible. It turns out that this time was one of the few valid alarms to affect Lewis University all year.
The fire, which occurred in a second floor men's bathroom, is believed to be arson. Investigators on sight determined that everything started when someone lit the paper towel dispenser on fire. Before the fire could be contained, smoke damage nearly ruined the entire bathroom. The floor, mirror, countertop, and ceiling were completely blackened.
A handful of students tried to sleep through the fire alarm, only to be disturbed by firemen who checked every room after they put out the fire. These residents were handed a fine of $1,000 for disobeying a fire alarm, but legally could have been arrested by the fire department. Keep this in mind next time you want to hide under the covers instead of just going outside during an alarm.
For the next couple days after the fire, a clean-up crew was hired to try to salvage the bathroom. Besides the scorched countertop that still needs to be replaced, the bathroom is back to normal, including some replaced shower curtains and ceiling tiles.
Arson is a serious crime with serious consequences. Fire in or around residence halls puts many lives at risk, so information regarding this incident or plans for future arsons should be reported to campus security. Gary Benda, Director of Campus Security, can be reached at extension 5224, and Assistant Director of Campus Security, Tom Burgess, at extension 5654.
The fire, which occurred in a second floor men's bathroom, is believed to be arson. Investigators on sight determined that everything started when someone lit the paper towel dispenser on fire. Before the fire could be contained, smoke damage nearly ruined the entire bathroom. The floor, mirror, countertop, and ceiling were completely blackened.
A handful of students tried to sleep through the fire alarm, only to be disturbed by firemen who checked every room after they put out the fire. These residents were handed a fine of $1,000 for disobeying a fire alarm, but legally could have been arrested by the fire department. Keep this in mind next time you want to hide under the covers instead of just going outside during an alarm.
For the next couple days after the fire, a clean-up crew was hired to try to salvage the bathroom. Besides the scorched countertop that still needs to be replaced, the bathroom is back to normal, including some replaced shower curtains and ceiling tiles.
Arson is a serious crime with serious consequences. Fire in or around residence halls puts many lives at risk, so information regarding this incident or plans for future arsons should be reported to campus security. Gary Benda, Director of Campus Security, can be reached at extension 5224, and Assistant Director of Campus Security, Tom Burgess, at extension 5654.
