Lathrop fire leaves extensive damage

Mike Alberti Guest Writer

In the aftermath of the garbage can fire on the third floor of Lathrop House on Sept. 10, 20 students have been displaced from their rooms because of smoke and water damage. These students have been relocated to different rooms in Lathrop, as well as to other residence houses. Students were initially given a one- to two-day period before they could return to their rooms, but this wait period has now been extended to two to three weeks.

The fire began in a trash can in the hallway of the third floor north annex, and sprinklers came on soon after to extinguish the flames. The floor underneath the trash can, and the wall behind it, sustained heavy damage.

Smoke residue lingers in nearby rooms, and some walls need repainting. Water from the third floor sprinklers, however, caused far more extensive damage than the fire itself. The water leaked under the doors of rooms 300 through 305 and caused damage to student property. Rooms in the second floor annex and the first floor House Fellows’ apartment were affected when water from the sprinklers seeped through the floor.

“The water damage was so extensive that the saturation levels in the walls need to be measured to make sure that there isn’t any mold growing,” said Lathrop and Jewett House Advisor Jocelyn Tejada. “We need to be absolutely sure that this isn’t a health hazard.”

The displaced students, who now call themselves “refugees,” are dealing with the difficulties of temporarily moving elsewhere. Among those affected are eight freshmen, who were relocated to vacant rooms in Strong and Jewett.

“While this has been disruptive to the students, most specifically the freshmen, that disruption is outweighed by our concern for their health,” said Director of Residential Life Luis Inoa.

In order to accommodate the workmen repairing the damage in their apartment, the Lathrop House Fellows, Assistant Professor of Drama Neil Worden and his partner Margo Whitcomb, had to temporarily split up their family. Worden sleeps in the apartment with their dog, while Whitcomb and their son Orlando stay at a friend’s house.

Many students, as well as the House Fellows, had personal belongings damaged by the water leakage. Dennis Flynn ’09, relocated to Jewett, said, “A lot of my chargers were damaged and a lot of my clothes were stained. I’m a little upset that my stuff was destroyed and not only am I behind in my school work, but now I need to replace all of my electronics.”

When asked if Residential Life plans to compensate the students for their belongings, Inoa said, “The College does not assume responsibility for any damage unless it’s due to negligence. Students won’t be paying for the damage to the dorm, but the College won’t be paying for the damage to the students’ belongings.”

“I feel that Residential Life has been responsive,” said Whitcomb with regard to the College’s policy. “However, I’m at once curious and perplexed by the seeming lack of an obvious place for us to relocate without having to be in someone’s private home. This is really taking a toll on our family.”

“I think that there’s an issue here with the administration that is larger than this incident,” added Worden. “How can there be no budgeting for an incident like this? I always have a conundrum about how we could possibly have such a huge endowment and not have a better insurance policy.”

The Vassar House Fellows Committee is planning to organize a fundraiser to compensate Whitcomb and Worden, but the Lathrop House Fellows said they would rather the money to go to the students. “We feel that the people who have probably suffered the most in this are the students,” said Whitcomb.

Lathrop House Intern Sara Slaughter ’08 said, “In terms of financial compensation, students shouldn’t blame the Office of Residential Life for implementing the school’s policies that they are employed to enforce. While some property damage occurred, Residential Life has tried to be as helpful as possible while still following College regulations.”

Despite the effects of the fire, Slaughter remained optimistic about her fellow housemates: “The fire may have shaken the community up a bit, but I think unity within the dorm has remained steadfast and is stronger than ever. Above all, I think Lathropians just want their family members to be able to return home.”