Mock residence hall fire underscores fire risks

After a mock residence hall room was set on fire at Speaker's Circle, students say they look at fire hazards differently.

By Jacob Gonzales

Published Sept. 12, 2008

A crowd of curious students crowded around a model residence hall room Wednesday to see it go up in flames.

Presented by the Columbia Fire Department, Fire Factor 2008 educates students about fire safety and prevention. This year, the event included the burning of a mock room that showed how quickly fire can overtake a room.

The only thing to survive was the smoke alarm, which kept beeping even when Columbia Chief Fire Marshal Steven Sapp decided to take it as a memento. Everything else in the room was charred.

Sapp said if students saw the burn, he hoped it would persuade them to be more careful. He added that it is hard to replicate what a room really looks like after a fire.

"This has a great visual impact, but until you experience it personally, it's all talk," Sapp said.

After seeing the midday presentation, freshman James Goncalves said he began thinking about the implications for his building.

"That was just a model room, so if it was bigger the whole building would be in danger," Goncalves said.

Columbia Assistant Fire Marshal Shawn McCollom said seeing the first live burn room was not a comfortable feeling, but that he felt positive about the result of the presentation. McCollom also works for MU Environmental Health and Safety.

"It was nerve-racking," he said, adding that he was thrilled with the outcome of the demonstration and students learning about fire risks.

"It came out as good or even better than I expected, but I am hoping that someone gets something out of this," McCollom said.

Goncalves said the fire's aftermath was disturbing.

"Seeing the scene afterwards was more effective because everything was charred and destroyed," Goncalves said. "That made me stop and think about if that was my room."

The model room was decked out with many common residence hall-living items: a backpack, a bed with sheets, books, a laptop, clothing, lamps, carpet, an upholstered chair and a newspaper.

Goncalves said he learned about potential fire hazards, but said he has none in his room.

Besides preventive education, MU is taking other steps to prevent fire damage. Sapp said he is impressed with MU's efforts to install more sprinkler systems throughout campus residence halls.

"The university has taken a major commitment by adding sprinklers in more dorm rooms," Sapp said. "Right now 50 percent of the rooms are set, and in two years we hope to have 80 percent of the campus."