FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ed Comeau, Publisher
Campus Firewatch

www.campus-firewatch.com

413-323-6002 (tel)
413-896-5718 (cell)

ecomeau@campus-firewatch.com

  Fatal off-campus fire in Huntington , West Virginia, claims the life of student from Marshall University.

Tragic campus-related fires continue across the nation

BELCHERTOWN, Mass., January 15, 2007— On Saturday, a fire broke out shortly after 11:00 p.m. in a 64-unit apartment building that housed a number of students from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. At last report, at least nine people had been killed, including a student from Marshall University and two of his siblings who were visiting him, according to the Cabell County Emergency Operations Center. Since January 2000, there have been 97 campus-related fire deaths across the country, with almost 90 percent of them occurring in off-campus and Greek housing. Four common factors have been identified in a number of the off-campus fatal fires, including:

• Lack of automatic fire sprinklers
• Missing or disabled smoke alarms
• Careless disposal of smoking materials
• Impaired judgment from alcohol consumption

“It is critically important that students know how they can protect themselves from becoming a tragic victim of a fire,” said Ed Comeau, publisher of Campus Firewatch. “There are a number of steps that they can take that will help to improve their chances of either not having a fire, or surviving one if it does occur.” These steps include:

• Live in housing equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system.
• Ensure that your housing has interconnected smoke alarms on all levels and that they are working at all times.
• Take each alarm activation seriously and evacuate. If an alarm is being activated needlessly by cooking or by a shower, relocate the alarm, do not disable it.
• Always know two ways out of the building you are in, whether it is your house, apartment, residence hall, movie theater or nightclub.
• A number of fires have started because cigarettes have been carelessly discarded. Use ashtrays and dispose of the cigarette butts properly.
• After a party, check the seat cushions on couches and chairs for cigarettes that may lie smoldering, waiting to start a fire in the middle of the night.
• Do not overload extension cords which may cause them to overheat.
• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and, more importantly, know how to use it before the fire breaks out.

“These are simple tips that can help save your life,” says Comeau. “To learn more, or if you should have any questions about your house or apartment, contact your local fire department for more information or to request an inspection.”

Campus Fire Safety Information Sheet

Updated Monday, January 15, 2007   According to information compiled by Campus Firewatch, almost 90% of the campus-related fire fatalities across the nation since January 2000 have occurred in off-campus and Greek housing.  Four common factors in a number of these fires include:

• Lack of automatic fire sprinklers
• Missing or disabled smoke alarms
• Careless disposal of smoking materials
• Impaired judgment from alcohol consumption

The following information has been compiled by Campus Firewatch. Please note that much of this information is gathered by monitoring the wire services so the actual number of fatal fires, especially in off-campus occupancies, may be higher.

Campus-related fire fatalities from January 2000 to January 15, 2007

Off-campus	76	78%
Residence Hall	10	10%
Greek housing	10	10%
Other	1	1%

According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are approximately 17,000,000 students enrolled in 4,100 colleges and universities across the country. Approximately 2/3 of the students live in off-campus housing.

Geographic distribution of fire fatalities

Ohio	12
North Carolina	9
Indiana	7
Pennsylvania	7
West Virginia	6
Kansas	5
California	4
Illinois	4
Texas	4
Massachusetts	3
Minnesota	3
Mississippi	3
Nebraska	3
New Jersey	3
New York	3
Virginia	3
Alaska	2
Georgia	2
Kentucky	2
Maryland	2
Missouri	2
DC	1
Iowa	1
Louisiana	1
Michigan	1
Oklahoma	1
Oregon	1
Rhode Island	1
Tennessee	1

Annual number of fatalities by academic year

2000-2001	17
2001-2002	14
2002-2003	14
2003-2004	11
2004-2005	14
2005-2006	11
2006-2007	8

  Fatal fires 2006-2007 academic year

University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania	1 killed in an off-campus fire
Nebraska Wesleyan University	Lincoln , Nebraska	1 killed in a fraternity fire
University of Missouri – St. Louis	St. Louis , Missouri	1 killed in a fraternity fire
University of Nebraska – Lincoln	Lincoln , Nebraska	2 killed in an off-campus fire
Marshall University	Huntington , West Virginia	3 killed in an off-campus fire

NOTE: Two of the victims at the Marshall University fire were not students. However, they were visiting a student’s apartment at the time of the fire and are therefore included as campus-related fire deaths.

Campus Fire Safety Month

In 2006, thirty-one states issued proclamations recognizing September as Campus Fire Safety Month.

Alabama	Kentucky	Nebraska	Rhode Island
Alaska	Louisiana	New Jersey	South Carolina
Colorado	Maine	New Mexico	Texas
Connecticut	Maryland	New York	Utah
Hawaii	Massachusetts	North Carolina	Vermont
Illinois	Michigan	Oklahoma	Virginia
Indiana	Mississippi	Oregon	Wisconsin
Kansas	Missouri	Pennsylvania

In addition, the U.S. House of Representatives pass a resolution recognizing September as Campus Fire Safety Month. Campus Firewatch is a monthly, electronic newsletter focusing on the complex issues of campus fire safety. More information can be found at www.campus-firewatch.com.

###

ecomeau@campus-firewatch.com | www.campus-firewatch.com | www.writer-tech.com

CAMPUS FIRE WATCH | PO BOX 1046 | BELCHERTOWN, MA 01007 | Voice: 413-323-6002 | Fax 413-460-0092