The third fire in less than 18 months erupted at the new student center at about 9 p.m. yesterday.
No one was injured, as workers had left for the night. About seven firefighters had the blaze out by 10 p.m.
Athens fire Chief Robert Troxel said the fire probably was caused by the construction company's roofing technique, which he also identified as the cause of the previous two fires. Troxel said he did not know what specifically about the technique was problematic.
On the roofing installation
whatever technique they're using is creating this situation Troxel said. We just need to come up with a technique that doesn't keep creating this situation.
Troxel did not know specific dates of the other two fires. Construction on the center begam in March 2004.
Ohio University President Roderick McDavis, who came to check out the fire after a meeting with students at Christ the King University Parish Center, 75 Stewart St., said he would talk with Smoot Construction --the company working on the center -today.
We're going to talk with the construction company and just sit down with them and see what their thoughts and opinions are about the cause of this McDavis said. We're all pleased with the great progress
but we don't want to work so fast that we create other problems.
McDavis also said he was concerned the fire would delay the construction process.
We're always concerned when there's a problem like this
he said. We want to take whatever steps we need to take to make sure this type of problem doesn't continue to occur.
Firefighters battled the blaze by running a hose along the center's roof from a truck stationed on Park Place. Chief Troxel said in the second fire, only fire extinguishers had to be used, and he said he was not sure how the first fire was extinguished.
About a dozen students gathered on the Scripps Hall lawn to take pictures with camera phones and watch firefighters battle the blaze.
I (saw) this large crowd
and I wanted to know what the ruckus was
sophomore Danielle Anderson said.
While McDavis said Smoot is ultimately responsible for the roofing technique that probably caused the fire, he said the company has several subcontractors -one of which might be in charge of roofing.
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