5 'U' buildings catch fire in past month

By Caitlin Nish

Daily Staff Reporter

A fire that scorched a room in South Quad Residence Hall last Thursday was one of five fires that damaged University property in the last month.

The South Quad fire was contained to a double room on the fifth floor, said Diane Brown, University facilities and operations spokeswoman.

"An electrical fan tipped over in a resident's room while he was not there, and somehow it ignited some combustibles and created a lot of smoke," Brown said.

Although there was no significant threat to students, all residents were evacuated for about an hour. The residents of the room temporarily have been moved to another room but Brown said there was no significant monetary damage.

The fire is the second at a University residence hall in the last month. A blaze on the roof of the West Quad Residence Hall led to an evacuation Aug. 7.

That fire, which started near equipment on the roof of the residence hall after workers had left for the day, is estimated to have caused $100,000 in damage. Although there was slight damage to student rooms, the affected area was repaired in time for move-in last week.

Another fire on the same day of the West Quad blaze damaged a room in the Chemistry Building, causing about $20,000 in damages. "The fire started from a spark that got in between the outside wall of the building and the building of the room," Brown said.

Just three days later, Ann Arbor firefighters responded to a massive fire at the University's bus maintenance garage that left $1 million worth of damage to the Kipke Drive facility.

That fire completely destroyed the garage and one Nite Owl bus. Bus service was not affected.

Another blaze broke out last Friday in the Medical Science Building II. The fire was caused by two chemicals which ignited in a contained closet. Brown said that while there was no real threat by the fire, the building was evacuated to ensure that the security of hazardous materials had not been compromised.

Last Thursday's fire comes nearly a year after a fire in a Seton Hall University residence hall killed three students and injured many others. University of Michigan Housing Director William Zeller said the Seton Hall fire led University officials to question their own policies and procedures.

"When a major incident occurs, it generates questions about what you're doing in your own area," Zeller said. "It raised discussion and dialogue on campus about fire safety."

Although incoming freshmen receive brochures about fire safety in their residence hall assignment packages, students are also required to review fire safety guidelines during their first residence hall floor meetings.

While no residence hall rooms on campus are equipped with sprinklers, each has a functioning smoke alarm. Officials say one of the largest problems with fire safety is making students realize that they must evacuate the building when the alarms sound.

"Students should respond as if it's real. You should know the escape routes for your evacuation plan, and you should meet with staff members if you are unclear about the routes," said Ian Steinman, manager of housing security and an assistant director of the Department of Public Safety.

But some students feel that the alarms are impossible to miss or to ignore.

"The alarms are definitely loud enough, you would know to leave," said Beth Cohen, an LSA freshman living in South Quad.

DAVID KATZ/Daily

LSA junior C.J. Hayes helps friends move into Williams House in West Quad, where a fire last month damaged several rooms.