[Press Release] : Electrical fire in MU residence hall causes second evacuation of students

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Chief Steven Sapp - (573) 874-7557

Electrical fire in MU residence hall causes second evacuation of
students

COLUMBIA, MO (April 23, 2007) - The Columbia Fire Department responded
to a report of a fire alarm at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, at 800
Virginia Ave., the Hudson and Gillette residence halls on the MU Campus.


The first arriving fire company reported light smoke in the basement of
the complex. Residence hall assistants had evacuated both Hudson and
Gillette Halls, which house about 900 students. All students had
evacuated the buildings when firefighters arrived. 

Firefighters located the source of the smoke in a maintenance shop in
the basement of Hudson Hall. Fire ighters forced open the door and found
a small amount of fire which was quickly extinguished using a
multi-purpose fire extinguisher and a water extinguisher. 

The fire, smoke and heat damage were confined to the maintenance room.
A light haze of smoke permeated the rest of the basement which houses a
laundry area and a warming kitchen. 

Students were allowed to return to their rooms by 11:25 p.m. No
students or firefighters were injured during the incident. 

Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire to be an overheated
motor in a box style fan in the maintenance room. The overheated motor
caused other items, such as boxes of light bulbs, vacuum cleaners and
other combustible materials to catch fire. 

Damages to the building and contents are estimated at less then
$10,000. 

On April 17, at 8:33 p.m., Columbia firefighters responded to Hudson
and Gillette halls when an electrical distribution transformer failed
and electrical power had to be turned off to the building. Students were
evacuated for about five hours during the incident. 

The Columbia Fire Department commends the prompt actions of the staff
and students for taking each fire alarm seriously, evacuating the
building in a quick and orderly way, and for their patience during the
evacuation. 

- 30 -
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