Fire Damages Gifford Suite, Cause of Blaze Deemed 'Accidental'

Author: Claire Bourne

A fire ravaged a room in a second floor suite in Gifford Hall around 8:30 p.m. last Thursday, forcing residents to evacuate the dormitory. The automatic sprinkler system quickly contained the blaze but caused severe water damage in the basement, first floor and second floor quads.

Director of Public Safety Lisa Boudah labeled the incident as "accidental," adding that the fire began after the resident disposed of hot ashes in a trash can.

By the time Middlebury Fire Department and Police Department vehicles arrived on the scene, Public Safety had secured the suite. The quad was empty when the incident occurred, and no injuries were reported. The building was vacated for nearly four hours while Public Safety and fire department personnel ensured that the fire was under control.

Because of a tapestry on the ceiling of the room obstructing the smoke detector, Safety Officer Edmund Sullivan said there was "a good chance" that the sprinklers were triggered before the alarm. While the force of these safety mechanisms quickly extinguished the flames, all four rooms in the second floor suite were flooded, while the two suites directly below sustained significant water damage.

Fire and water damage in the room where the fire originated was "extensive," according to Associate Provost Timothy Spears, who was on the scene Thursday night. While other suite occupants did not need to be relocated, the room's resident has been given temporary lodging in Gifford until clean up is complete. Although the total damage incurred has yet to be determined, the College has taken a preliminary step to launder or dry-clean wet clothes and garments that smelled like smoke.

Fire safety inspections traditionally take place during October — National Fire Safety Month — however Sullivan said commons deans were currently discussing whether another campus-wide inspection was necessary. "There is a worry that similar conditions exist in other rooms," he explained, citing candles and tapestries that obstruct smoke detectors as frequent violations of the College's fire code.

Spears noted the difficulty of enforcing fire safety rules on campus. "When you see how quickly it went up, you begin to see why preventative measures are important," he said.