Couzens stairwell heater catches fire By Jewel Gopwani and Nika Schulte Daily News Editors A small fire in a stairwell heat register caused the evacuation of Couzens Residence Hall on Friday night. University Facilities and Operations spokeswoman Diane Brown said at 6:32 p.m. the fire alarm responded to smoke filling the hallways of the fifth and sixth floors in the southeast corner of the residence hall. Ann Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief James Breslin said a piece of wood in the register caught on fire. Brown said the fire only damaged the register, adding that no injuries were reported. The incident comes only a week after a room was damaged by fire in Mary Markley Residence Hall. Couzens resident Anne Kramer, an LSA senior, said she has experienced several false fire alarms while living at the residence hall. "This is the first time in two years that it has been a real fire," Kramer said. Evacuating Couzens without a coat, LSA freshman Monica Osterberger said she was not sure if the alarms indicated an actual fire. "I didn't think it was real," Osterberger said. She added that even though she was hesitant, she left the building. "You never know what can happen," she said. Although LSA freshman Mike Udekwu said he was instructed by his resident assistant to go to Alice Lloyd Residence Hall to escape the cold weather, Udekwu said he decided to watch the team of more than 12 firefighters work to contain the flame. "I wanted to see the action," Udekwu said. Students were allowed back into the building shortly after 7 p.m. Couzens does not contain a sprinkler system, Brown said but residence halls are not required to have them. Brown added that the alarm system in Couzens was replaced two years ago. Breslin said the building's stand pipes and alarms provide "average" fire prevention equipment. Even though AAFD contained the fire in less than 30 minutes, firefighters had additional work because water from the fire hydrant spewed on to Ann Street and formed into a sheet of ice. AAFD fire fighters then distributed sand, salt and Ice-ban to melt the ice so the street could be reopened for vehicles. "I wanted to see the action," Udekwu said. Students were allowed back into the building shortly after 7 p.m. Couzens does not contain a sprinkler system, Brown said, but residence halls are not required to have them. Brown added that the alarm system in Couzens was replaced two years ago. Breslin said the building's stand pipes and alarms are "average" fire prevention equipment. Even though AAFD contained the fire in less than 30 minutes, firefighters had additional work because water from the fire hydrant leaked onto Ann Street and formed into a sheet of ice. AAFD fire fighters then distributed sand, salt and Ice-ban to melt the ice so the street could be reopened for vehicles. JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily An Ann Arbor Fire Department firefighter attends to a small fire in a heating register Friday night at Couzens Residence Hall. Originally on page 1A in the 1-31-2000 issue of the Daily.