Spring Break
Where's the fire?
Extinguisher set off in Ferguson Hall causes evacuation
Marcy Waters
Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Thursday night, a large number of students stood outside in the cold to eat purple pancakes at Midnight Breakfast. The residents of Ferguson Hall, a male only resident hall, were standing outside, for another reason, however.
Shortly before midnight, police and fire fighters responded to a fire alarm on the second floor of Ferguson Hall. The fire alarm went off when an unknown student or students took a fire extinguisher out of its bracket, pulled out the safety pin and squeezed the handle. Filling the hall with a thick, yellow, carbon powder that many residents said looked like smoke.
"I heard a noise outside my door and looked out into the hallway. I thought the whole area was filled with smoke, so I started banging on doors and yelling at people to get out," said a student identifying himself as a second floor Resident Leader.
Police and fire crews were quick to respond and, once no danger was found, residents were allowed to return to their rooms. A yellow layer of powder covered the floor on the north end of second floor Ferguson. Residents who inhaled the carbon powder had irritated throats. After the building was cleared for reentry, students were happy to get out of the cold and back to their rooms inside their resident hall.
The Tarleton State University Residential Living and Learning Web site states: "Any individual who misuses or tampers with any fire safety equipment will be subject to appropriate administrative and/or disciplinary action. The individual may be charged a fine plus the cost of repair or replacement of misused or damaged equipment, cleaning of the facility, and damage to other property. Besides being subject to University penalties, any student who starts a fire, damages or tampers with the evacuation alarm, or misuses fire safety equipment may be subject to prosecution in criminal court by the Stephenville Fire Department, according to the Stephenville Fire Code. When such persons are identified, they will be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. Additionally Residential Living & Learning will respond with administrative action."
The above information can be found at: http://www.tarleton.edu/~housing/helpfultips/handbook.html#misuse
Shortly before midnight, police and fire fighters responded to a fire alarm on the second floor of Ferguson Hall. The fire alarm went off when an unknown student or students took a fire extinguisher out of its bracket, pulled out the safety pin and squeezed the handle. Filling the hall with a thick, yellow, carbon powder that many residents said looked like smoke.
"I heard a noise outside my door and looked out into the hallway. I thought the whole area was filled with smoke, so I started banging on doors and yelling at people to get out," said a student identifying himself as a second floor Resident Leader.
Police and fire crews were quick to respond and, once no danger was found, residents were allowed to return to their rooms. A yellow layer of powder covered the floor on the north end of second floor Ferguson. Residents who inhaled the carbon powder had irritated throats. After the building was cleared for reentry, students were happy to get out of the cold and back to their rooms inside their resident hall.
The Tarleton State University Residential Living and Learning Web site states: "Any individual who misuses or tampers with any fire safety equipment will be subject to appropriate administrative and/or disciplinary action. The individual may be charged a fine plus the cost of repair or replacement of misused or damaged equipment, cleaning of the facility, and damage to other property. Besides being subject to University penalties, any student who starts a fire, damages or tampers with the evacuation alarm, or misuses fire safety equipment may be subject to prosecution in criminal court by the Stephenville Fire Department, according to the Stephenville Fire Code. When such persons are identified, they will be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. Additionally Residential Living & Learning will respond with administrative action."
The above information can be found at: http://www.tarleton.edu/~housing/helpfultips/handbook.html#misuse
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