A minor fire forced the evacuation of two suites in Barbour Hall Tuesday night.
The fire, caused by food left unattended on a stove, began around 5:45 p.m., according to Dean of Campus Life Margaret Klawunn, who was at the scene. One first-floor suite suffered smoke and water damage, while another across the hall suffered water damage. No one was in the suites at the time of the fire.
Cleanup was already underway by 7 p.m., with Facilities Management bringing in heavy-duty vacuum cleaners to remove water released by the sprinkler system.
"The damage was pretty contained, the sprinkler system put it out immediately," Klawunn said. "We were amazed at how little smoke there was just one floor above."
Klawunn said the students from the affected suites would be relocated for the night, and the residents of the smoke-damaged suite will be reassigned to other housing for the semester while repairs are made.
