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

 Fire in off-campus housing at Halifax Community College claims the life of foreign exchange student

 Victim is the 100th person who has died in a campus-related fire since January 2000

BELCHERTOWN, Mass., February 16, 2007— On Monday, a fire in an off-campus apartment claimed the life of Keith Titus Anyonyi, a second-year foreign exchange student from Kenya who was attending Halifax Community College in Weldon, North Carolina. According to Roanoke Rapids Fire Chief Ken Carawan, the fire started in the area around a bed and that it is believed to be related to smoking materials. The apartment’s hardwired smoke alarm had been removed from the ceiling and was found on top of the refrigerator. The occupant had been warned a number of times in the past to stop removing the smoke alarm, which was located approximately three feet from the kitchen.

 

Since January 2000, there have been 100 campus-related fire deaths across the country, with almost 80 percent of them occurring in off-campus 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 Friday, February 16, 2007

 

According to information compiled by Campus Firewatch, almost 80% of the campus-related fire fatalities across the nation since January 2000 have occurred in off-campus 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 February 16, 2007

Off-campus

79

79%

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

10

West Virginia

8

Indiana

7

Pennsylvania

7

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

11

 

 

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

5 killed in an off-campus fire

Halifax Community College

Weldon, North Carolina

1 killed in an off-campus fire

 

NOTE: Two of the victims at the Marshall University fire were not students. However, they were the brother and sister of one of the students who died and were visiting his apartment at the time of the fire and are therefore included as campus-related fire deaths. Also, the woman who was killed in the off-campus fire at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln was pregnant and was due to deliver the morning of the fire. For this reason, this fire has been classified as involving two victims.

 

Campus Fire Safety Month

 

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

 

Alabama

Alaska

Colorado

Connecticut

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ok lahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Wisconsin

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.

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

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