Columbia University students evacuated a dorm late Thursday after a fire tore through a third-floor suite, officials said.
The blaze broke out in Ruggles Hall, an eight-story co-ed dormitory on W. 114th St. near Amsterdam Ave. at about 11:15 p.m., according to authorities.
“It smelled like someone was roasting marshmallows,” said seventh-floor resident Johain Ounadjela, 20. “We didn’t think anything of it–we thought someone was just cooking and set off the fire alarm.”
His roommate, Solomon Rice, 20, who at first thought the late-night alarm might be a drill, soon heard fellow students in distress.
“Thirty seconds after the alarm went off we heard a whole bunch of yelling and screaming from the third floor and knew it was time to get out,” Rice said.
Around 200 students were evacuated from the building before the fire was placed under control without injury shortly after midnight, officials said.
The building remained closed while firefighters completed inspections, forcing students to find friends with beds or sofas to spare.
“We’re headed over to a friend’s with an extra bed we’re gonna use,” said Ounadjela. “It’s a cold night. We might need to huddle up.”
The post Blaze rips through Columbia University dorm, students evacuate appeared first on Article Pub.
from WordPress http://ift.tt/2iredth
No comments:
Post a Comment