10-year anniversary of house fire prompts a look at safety programs on campus

By Krista Savage, Senior Staff Writer

April 10 marks the 10-year anniversary of the house fire that killed three Miami University students. The fire was caused by smoking materials embedded within couch cushions, and it didn't take long for flames to engulf the old, two-story brick house. Ninety minutes after a frantic 911 call, the fire was extinguished.

The victims included Stephen J. Smith, a senior marketing major, Julia Turnbull, a senior mass communication major and Kathryn Welling, a junior business major.

Similar instances have occurred at other Ohio universities, including the University of Cincinnati, the Ohio State University and the University of Dayton.

New Year's Day in 2013 brought tragedy to the University of Cincinnati when a fire broke out in an off-campus house, where two students died from smoke inhalation. On April 13, 2003, a fire near Ohio State's campus killed five students, and a University of Dayton football player lost his life in a house fire Dec. 10, 2000.

Rod and Ann Garner, parents of one of the victims of the University of Cincinnati fire, proposed the need for fire safety improvements in housing around campus. These incidents launched campaigns for better fire safety education programs for college students.

According to Oxford Fire Chief John Detherage, the Oxford Fire Department sees on average three fires of some magnitude in a school year. Less threatening calls, like burnt popcorn or smells of smoke, occur more often, but lay on a much lower level of severity.

Detherage said the most common reasons for fires are accidents, electrical failures and, most often, alcohol. To ensure safety, he said students should regularly check their smoke detectors and never remove the batteries.

One of the largest concerns of alcohol consumption-related fires is the probability of students passing out and not hearing smoke alarms. The three students killed in the house fire 10 years ago were declared highly intoxicated by the fire department, resulting in a slower reaction time to the smoke alarms.

"It is vitally important that when students do drink, they have a designated individual who can be sure that everyone is safe when they go to sleep," Detherage said. "This is a serious issue, not something to take light-heartedly."

Three years ago, a fire broke out in a trashcan after a party in an off-campus house. The residents caught the fire, and put it out before going to sleep. Later, they awoke to find the entire first floor consumed in flames.

"We are extremely lucky that no one died in that fire," Detherage said. "The biggest thing I can stress is to always call the fire department whenever you have a fire, even if you think you've put it out. Always call."

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By law, landlords are required to install smoke detectors in every room used for sleeping, and supply a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. They are also responsible for the care of electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation.

On campus, many precautions are taken to ensure the safety of students. In 2002, Miami implemented a fire safety training program required for all first-year students.

During the fire safety program, halls are filled with "safe smoke" which simulates the feeling of being trapped in a building filled with smoke from a real fire. Students must crawl on their hands and knees to find exits and make it out of the building safely. The goal is to force students to realize how difficult it would be, in a real fire, to know how to get to safety. Fire-safety specialists encourage students to know the number of doors from their dorm room to the nearest exit. Throughout the year, Miami also has routine, unannounced fire drills.

First-year student Maddie Colliver went through the training program in the fall.

"Going into it, I didn't think it was going to be much. Just another fire drill," Colliver said. "Once you got in there, though, it was terrifying."

In addition to the smoke drill, first-year students are required to take an online course that will further educate them on fire safety.

"I definitely think that students need to be more aware of the risks involved with carelessness," Colliver said. "I wouldn't want to be in that situation in real life."