Oct. 29, 2007
Buskirk Hall Basement Break Room Fire Contained Thanks to Sprinklers; No Injuries
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A fire in the basement of Buskirk Hall, a Marshall University residence hall, Sunday evening, Oct. 28 at about 7:40 p.m. was quickly contained to one room, according to Deputy Huntington Fire Chief Tim Provaznik.
When trucks from the Huntington Fire Department arrived smoke billowed from a metal ventilation on the ground near the eastern central stairway of the women’s dormitory. Although none of the residents would speak on record, one woman talked of running up from the basement to get an extinguisher prior to the arrival of fire fighters.
“The fire started in a break room in the basement of Buskirk Hall, “ Provaznik said. “It appears to have started from an air conditioning unit in the window. The fire was quickly extinguished by the sprinkler system. The fire alarm system alerted all the students who evacuated the building. There were no injuries.”
Asked about the events prior to the department’s two engines arrived, Provaznik said, “I do not know what they did prior to fire department arrival. I do know that once we got here there was a lot of smoke coming from the building.”
Residents stood milling about, some on cell phones, during the evacuation. At least one woman was overhead stating that she thought it was a “drill” and was glad she left the structure. Another woman discussed what she would have grabbed (her computer) if she had known it was a real emergency. The fire emphasizes the life saving significance of immediately leaving a building once an alarm sounds, rather than assuming it’s just a drill.
As fire firefighters worked on ventilation of the building, the residents were directed to wait in the lobby of Holderby Hall.
“The fire was contained to one room,” Provaznik said, adding, “the sprinklers did their job.” Fire fighters remained at the scene after about 8:30 p.m. working to ventilate the building so that residents could return.
“Once we made sure the fire was controlled and contained,” Provaznik said, “we worked on ventilation of the building.” Smoke was sucked up the stairwells and elevator shafts of the six story dormitory.
The fire comes less than 24 hours after at least six University of South Carolina students perished in a blaze in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina at a private home used by friends of the owner’s daughter. A seventh fatality is believed to be a Clemson University student. Six other students escaped, including one man hanging out a window who jumped into a canal. That house had smoke alarms, but did not have a sprinkler system.
Buskirk Hall Basement Break Room Fire Contained Thanks to Sprinklers; No Injuries
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington, WV (HNN) - A fire in the basement of Buskirk Hall, a Marshall University residence hall, Sunday evening, Oct. 28 at about 7:40 p.m. was quickly contained to one room, according to Deputy Huntington Fire Chief Tim Provaznik.
When trucks from the Huntington Fire Department arrived smoke billowed from a metal ventilation on the ground near the eastern central stairway of the women’s dormitory. Although none of the residents would speak on record, one woman talked of running up from the basement to get an extinguisher prior to the arrival of fire fighters.
“The fire started in a break room in the basement of Buskirk Hall, “ Provaznik said. “It appears to have started from an air conditioning unit in the window. The fire was quickly extinguished by the sprinkler system. The fire alarm system alerted all the students who evacuated the building. There were no injuries.”
Asked about the events prior to the department’s two engines arrived, Provaznik said, “I do not know what they did prior to fire department arrival. I do know that once we got here there was a lot of smoke coming from the building.”
Residents stood milling about, some on cell phones, during the evacuation. At least one woman was overhead stating that she thought it was a “drill” and was glad she left the structure. Another woman discussed what she would have grabbed (her computer) if she had known it was a real emergency. The fire emphasizes the life saving significance of immediately leaving a building once an alarm sounds, rather than assuming it’s just a drill.
As fire firefighters worked on ventilation of the building, the residents were directed to wait in the lobby of Holderby Hall.
“The fire was contained to one room,” Provaznik said, adding, “the sprinklers did their job.” Fire fighters remained at the scene after about 8:30 p.m. working to ventilate the building so that residents could return.
“Once we made sure the fire was controlled and contained,” Provaznik said, “we worked on ventilation of the building.” Smoke was sucked up the stairwells and elevator shafts of the six story dormitory.
The fire comes less than 24 hours after at least six University of South Carolina students perished in a blaze in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina at a private home used by friends of the owner’s daughter. A seventh fatality is believed to be a Clemson University student. Six other students escaped, including one man hanging out a window who jumped into a canal. That house had smoke alarms, but did not have a sprinkler system.
