Frat house fire leaves
brothers homeless

 

Highlights
*Firefighters and officials say the fire could have started when a cigarette butt ignited mulch.
*A W&L public safety officer and a Rockbridge County Sheriff's deputy rescued one student from a third-floor bedroom.
*All involved say recent and long-term safety precautions prevented what could have been a tragedy.

By ALICIA BUDICH

Rockbridge Reporter Alicia Budich hears what public safety officers believe may have started the fire. (ALICIA BUDICH/The Rockbridge Report)

Officials say an early-morning fire that heavily damaged Washington and Lee University's Pi Kappa Phi fraternity house on East Washington Street in Lexington Mar. 12 started on the front porch. A university security employee and a local police officer are credited with pulling one fraternity member from the burning house.

 

Take a closer look at what remains of the house

Washington and Lee Public Safety

WSET-TV: spontaneous combustion

Fire ravages
W&L fraternity house

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

W&LProduced by
Washington and Lee
journalism students.

Lead Supervisors:
Prof. Brian Richardson
Prof. Indira Somani

Editing supervisor:
Prof. Lisa Tracy

Technical supervisor: Michael Todd