The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Repairs continue on University Hall elevator after blaze

Repairs continued throughout the weekend to a University Hall elevator that contained a fire allegedly started by two SIUC students early Friday morning.

Department of Public Safety Director Todd Sigler said freshmen Robert C. Black, 20, of Jacksonville and Jeffrey T. Burk, 18, of Willowbrook were arrested Friday and charged with aggravated arson for their involvement in a fire earlier that morning.

Dwain Cocke, who oversees maintenance for University Housing, said Friday the cost of the damages had yet to be determined, but the elevator should be up and running sometime this week.

Smoke from the front lobby elevator fire activated the alarm system at 4:02 a.m., forcing residents to evacuate the building. Sigler said the fire was contained to the elevator, but smoke from the blaze "overwhelmed" the third and fourth floors.

No injuries were reported, and residents returned to their rooms at 5:30 a.m.

Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said both Black and Burn have been put on "interim suspension" until the matter can be discussed in a hearing, which will be scheduled for early this week.

"The good thing is no one was hurt," Dietz said. "The fire alarm responded the way it was supposed to. The students did what they were supposed to and the staff did what they were supposed to."

Both students, who were residents of University Hall, 1101 S. Wall St., are not allowed to return to the hall unless escorted by SIUC police.

Sigler would not comment on evidence relating to the motives for the fire or why Black and Burn were under suspicion out of respect "for what may eventually have to be talked about" during a trial.

Sigler said because on-campus residence halls are constructed out of cinder block, fires are generally contained inside the rooms they began.

Plans are being made by the University to install sprinkler systems in all on-campus residence halls by 2013. The $3.5 million project will begin next summer with the installation of sprinklers in the Brush Towers.

Gregory Tannis, head resident adviser for University Hall, said the fire was "totally unexpected."

Tannis, a graduate student in business, said the fire destroyed the more convenient and "better of the two" elevators in University. He said residents have experienced problems with the other elevator.

Cocke has worked for University Housing for almost 10 years. He said he has seen worse fire damage to SIUC property than the Friday morning's incident.

"It was a foolish act by foolish people," Cocke said. "It shouldn't have happened, but it could have been a lot worse."

 

 

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