[cifnmedia] EIU Blair Hall burned.
- From: Sean & Kimberly Aaron <cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: CIFN LIST <cifnmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 20:47:08 -0700 (PDT)
Local News
EIU's Blair Hall ablaze
By NATHANIEL WEST Staff Writer Wednesday, April 28, 2004 8:45 PM CDT
CHARLESTON - Reed Benedict watched stoically as flames consumed what used to be
his third-floor office in Eastern Illinois University's Blair Hall.
A decade of his research, curriculum and teaching tools were reduced to
smoldering ashes by Wednesday night, when firefighters from at least six
different departments finally got the fire in the 91-year-old building under
control.
"It's just gone," lamented Reed, an EIU criminology professor. "I really have
to start from scratch."
He's not alone. While no one was injured, priceless amounts of academia and
documented knowledge were destroyed by the blaze, the cause of which has yet to
be determined.
Charleston firefighters were dispatched to the university at about 3:15 p.m. By
the time they arrived, according to Chief Darrell Nees, strong winds had
substantially fanned the flames, which eventually burned away most of the roof
and gutted all of the top story.
"All I keep thinking about is everything that's gone," said Lisa New Freeland,
a professor who also had an office on Blair Hall's third floor. "Everything is
in there ... Twenty years of books are just gone."
For stories and photos, see Thursday's Times-Courier and Journal Gazette.
Sean A. Aaron (CIFN*1)
Central Illinois Fire Network
cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.geocities.com/central_illinois_firenet
_____________________________________________________________
Get email for your site ---> http://www.everyone.net
Other related posts:
- » [cifnmedia] EIU Blair Hall burned.
