Electrical fire damages Thorpe Hall room, displaces residents
An electrical fire damaged a Thorpe Hall room and caused a temporary evacuation early Friday evening.
A curtain in the living area of Thorpe 312 caught fire and a window was knocked out during the incident. Mount Pleasant firefighters and the Central Michigan University Police Department were called to the scene at 5:56 p.m.
The fire appeared to have been started by an iHome system, but it was easily contained, CMU Police Officer Jeff Ballard said.
Police Chief Bill Yeagley said the fire was small and consisted of mostly smoke. No one was injured.
“The fire was already out when the Mount Pleasant Fire Department arrived and they mainly removed all the smoke,” Yeagley said.
Flint freshman Jalohn Stewart, one of five students living in Thorpe 312, said he was in the other room when the fire began.
“We heard a big pop and then everything went out —the TV, lights, everything,” Stewart said. “Then smoke was everywhere.”
Stewart said the fire started in the right corner of the room’s living area.
Three of Stewart’s roommates were present at the time of the incident. The fifth roommate, Greenville freshman Nick Campbell, was home at the time.
“I walked in right as the popping sound was happening,” said Greenville freshman Tyler Reynolds.
Greenville freshman Taylor Jensen pulled the fire alarm and ran to inform the front desk.
Shawn Knight, a New Boston sophomore and third floor resident assistant, used the fire extinguisher to put out the flames.
“I was eating dinner and the alarm was already going off,” Knight said. “I ran upstairs to make sure people were leaving.”
The roommates evacuated with the remaining residents in the hall. Students returned to the building about 6:45 p.m.
The five Thorpe 312 residents are staying in a guest room until further notice.
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