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Originally posted by

Andy

I'm a little confused. How does a lamp get knocked over and just left there for? I know the RHDs are trained in the use of a fire extinguisher. No one thought to grab one? There are a lot of details missing here.

While I do understand what you're saying, I would like for you to know a couple of things:
1) No one (YET) knows how the fire exactely started. The reporters went by the statement issued by university officials and some witness accounts.

2) What if the RHD was not on the floor at the time of the fire? What if they were busy doing something else? Would you like the students to just "hang-out" in the building until the RHD arrives? NO. the best thing to do is Pull the alarm and get your butt out of the building ASAP!!!

In my opinion, the reponse was excellent. In less than 1 minutes, Campus Security guards, KSUPD and other residence services members arrived on scene. They set a perimeter and in a matter of minutes Kent Fire had their first 2 trucks infront of Prentice and Dunbar.

When there's a fire the safest thing to do is EVACUATE and not be a hero and attempt to extinguish the fire. So everybody did a great job.

3) The student reporters on scene were unable to get ALL the facts of this fire. No one, as of now, has all the facts. You have to wait for the full investigation to be completed.

At the end of the day, we should all be happy that no one got hurt, and we should probably thank Campus Security who helped with the evacuation and were able to keep everyone away from the building until the professionals (and I means the FD) arrived.

Originally posted by

Andy

I'm a little confused. How does a lamp get knocked over and just left there for? I know the RHDs are trained in the use of a fire extinguisher. No one thought to grab one? There are a lot of details missing here.

Yeah fire extinguishers are pretty self exclamatory. I wouldn't call my landlord if my kitchen caught on fire so that he could come up put it out. If it's true that the students saw early flames and neglected to use the fire extinguisher (that I'm pretty sure is in the hallway or laundry room), there needs to be a meeting or something. I think an 18-22 year old should know how to use a fire extinguisher by now.

This is all quoting that the student had enough time to lift up some clothes, and see the flames coming from under the beanbag chair! I'm not trying to blame anyone here. I just think that if that was the case the RHD needs to show the hall that they are available, and explain how to use them.

Originally posted by

Andy

I'm a little confused. How does a lamp get knocked over and just left there for? I know the RHDs are trained in the use of a fire extinguisher. No one thought to grab one? There are a lot of details missing here.

First of all, we are not dumbasses. I am a Prentice hall resident on 2 short (3 doors down from the demomlished room) and was there the entire time. There was no direct stream of smoke flowing from any specific location, hence the fact that no one knew where it was coming from. When we finally did find the source of the smoke by lifting the pile of clothes that the lamp was under, it was far too late. The whole room was up in flames. I am SO sorry that we didnt think to risk our lives by running to the laundry room to get a fire extinguisher. Not to mention the fact that we were specifically told to not worry about the smoke that we were all inhaling for a good 35 minutes (while the fire alarms failed to go off).
The smoke was blamed on an outside source coming from perhaps a burning garbage can. We all handled the situation the best way we knew how. In addition, this was an ELECTRICAL fire. Trying to handle this on our own would have been the most idiotic solution. Someone could have been electricuted or God only knows what else. None of us have any professional fire training how do you expect us to put out a completely flame engulfed room?
Its not like we saw the flame and then sat around and had a bonfire. As soon as the flame was exposed to oxygen it was out of anyone's control. None of you know the facts of the story so next time dont be so quick to assume that all 65 girls who live on 2 short are just ignorant people who did nothing to handle the situation. We handled it correctly, trying to put it out on our own would have been completely foolish on our part and easily could have easily led to severe injuries. I know the victims personally and I can tell you that they are not having an easy time with this. Obviously no one wants to lose EVERYTHING they own. Don't you think that if there was something they could have done to avoid this catastrophy that they would have? Please don't make this any harder on them than it has to be. They deserve nothing but love and support at this time.

Originally posted by

Andy

I'm a little confused. How does a lamp get knocked over and just left there for? I know the RHDs are trained in the use of a fire extinguisher. No one thought to grab one? There are a lot of details missing here.

I agree 100% with Meagan...in the absence of a very nearby fire extinguisher, the abrupt combustion of this fire left no choice but to evacuate immediately. It's very disturbing that not one smoke alarm reacted...thank God this incident happened before everyone went to sleep so that all the students were able to get out safely.

Originally posted by

Andy

I'm a little confused. How does a lamp get knocked over and just left there for? I know the RHDs are trained in the use of a fire extinguisher. No one thought to grab one? There are a lot of details missing here.

Yo...buttercup! It's almost as much of a matter as to where the dam fire extinguishers are located as to whether or not you know how to use one, eh? But, much like some monkey being able to randomly type Shakespear, you gotta have access to the fire extinguisher, don't ya know!

Don't feel bad, sweet-pea...the University also removed all the fire extinguishers from inside the apartments at Allerton; if you want to find one you gotta exit the apartment and run clear to the end of the dam building-ha!

Um...I should know...I built the "purty" red mounting boards and installed same on the exterior of the buildings. Two each, one at each end of each floor...for how many residents???

ACTUALLY, the Allyn Hall residents WERE compensated for their losses! I would know, I am one of them, and several of my personal belongings were damaged in the fire two years ago.

They also had companies come to campus and have all of our computers and other electronics professionally cleaned at no charge to us. They also paid for professional cleaning of linens and clothing.

What is your source for this information because I lived there, and I was quite taken care of by Kent State!

Originally posted by

Colin

Robin,

The university should hail NO responsibility due to damages. They were unwilling to really compensate the residents during the Allyn Hall fire. This comes to an issue of insurance. If the student's had renter's insurance...which they probably didn't, because it's even rare to see people with apartments have it...or if their parents had house insurance, then the insurance companies would pay for the damages to the personal belongings. Most rooms went unscathed though, on the bright side. (no pun intended)

Originally posted by

Colin

Robin,

The university should hail NO responsibility due to damages. They were unwilling to really compensate the residents during the Allyn Hall fire. This comes to an issue of insurance. If the student's had renter's insurance...which they probably didn't, because it's even rare to see people with apartments have it...or if their parents had house insurance, then the insurance companies would pay for the damages to the personal belongings. Most rooms went unscathed though, on the bright side. (no pun intended)

You've got most of what I claimed right but you left out the fact that any insurance company willing to pay such a claim would also have the legal right to have their own claims adjusters/investigators look over/inspect the residence before authorizing any payment. That is the part of the process the University was loathe to be a part of.

Originally posted by

Colin

Robin,

The university should hail NO responsibility due to damages. They were unwilling to really compensate the residents during the Allyn Hall fire. This comes to an issue of insurance. If the student's had renter's insurance...which they probably didn't, because it's even rare to see people with apartments have it...or if their parents had house insurance, then the insurance companies would pay for the damages to the personal belongings. Most rooms went unscathed though, on the bright side. (no pun intended)

And now you have, as Paul Harvey(God rest his soul) was so fond of saying, the rest of the story.

Originally posted by

Colin

Robin,

The university should hail NO responsibility due to damages. They were unwilling to really compensate the residents during the Allyn Hall fire. This comes to an issue of insurance. If the student's had renter's insurance...which they probably didn't, because it's even rare to see people with apartments have it...or if their parents had house insurance, then the insurance companies would pay for the damages to the personal belongings. Most rooms went unscathed though, on the bright side. (no pun intended)

Oops! The Paul Harvey quote was supposed to be attached to Emily's comment.

Originally posted by

Colin

Robin,

The university should hail NO responsibility due to damages. They were unwilling to really compensate the residents during the Allyn Hall fire. This comes to an issue of insurance. If the student's had renter's insurance...which they probably didn't, because it's even rare to see people with apartments have it...or if their parents had house insurance, then the insurance companies would pay for the damages to the personal belongings. Most rooms went unscathed though, on the bright side. (no pun intended)

Stop and think about what you just posted, boss! As a matter of business practices absolutely no private insurance company would insure a premisis that they've never inspected and that additional monies were not paid to ensure. Further, it is their absolute right to have one of their claims adjusters/inspecors inspect the site of any claims!

I have a history in such matters at K.S.U., especially as pertains to the fire at Allyn Hall and the University's response(maintenance) to same as do the students affected, whom you've heard from.

You need to liberate yourself from the self-serving propoganda spewed forth by the University to serve it's own interests! It tried to effect the insurance ploy/propaganda you subscribe to only to do a 180 degree turn-around within a week's time and pay all the claims by the Residence Hall residents! The whole scenario was reported in the Stater.

Originally posted by

HAHAHA

Really? The nut graph of this story references a Kent State press release? Weren't you AT THE FIRE? You know, where there were students or police officers you could've talked to?

FAIL

Um...no...I wasn't at the fire but I was the one from the Building Repair Department(Carpenter) called in on Labor Day Monday to help two stalwart MRW's working the weekend shift to board-up the windows to the two rooms through which the fire raged! Seems Bob Misbrenner, Associate Director of CE&O couldn't reach the Structures' Superintendent, the Carpentry Supervisor or the Glazier Supervisor and I was just the lucky smuck next on his call list who answered his phone that day-ha! As such, I got to see first-hand the smoke/heat/water damage throughout the various floors' hallways. I can only imagine how much of that carnage actually managed to work it's way into the adjacent rooms.

To my knowledge, the Stater never did publish any final monetary figure as to how much the University finally paid in claims by the students.

Originally posted by

HAHAHA

Really? The nut graph of this story references a Kent State press release? Weren't you AT THE FIRE? You know, where there were students or police officers you could've talked to?

FAIL

Oh...and for further clarification, cause I wouldn't want to confuse a dear buttercup like yourself...I was a witness to the destruction caused by the Allyn Hall fire, not the Prentice Hall fire. I did see the reversal in Univeristy policy for compensation during that trajic incident, as was reported in the Stater, from "turn the claims into your folks homeowner's insurance" to "turn in your claims to the University and it will take care of them"...hm...I wonder why?

Originally posted by

Shabazz Donigan

Thank you for writing the article, I am very pleased with how it came out.

Not to worry, buttercup! The attendants will be by shortly to take care of you, eh?