Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

LXR Evacuated After Bathroom Fire

Residents were forced to evacuate LXR Hall Friday afternoon after a roll of toilet paper caught fire in a third-floor bathroom.

David Morrell, vice president for university safety, said that officials have not determined how the toiler paper caught fire, but said that the “logical explanation” was that a resident was responsible.

Although the bathroom filled with smoke, Morrell said that the fire was contained within the bathroom and eventually burnt itself out.

“It did not spread outside the bathroom, and it went out on its own accord,” he said.

No students were injured by the fire. The only damage caused by the fire was to the women’s bathroom, which was closed as of yesterday afternoon, Morrell said. He added that the damage caused by the fire is currently being repaired and said the bathroom should be in working order within a few days.

Bianca Wilson (COL ’08), a third-floor LXR resident, said that she was in the floor’s common room at approximately 3 p.m. when she and several other students noticed smoke billowing out from underneath the bathroom door.

Wilson said that she and the other present residents left the common room to inform the floor’s residential advisor about the fire. They then decided to set off the fire alarm, clearing out the entire building.

Wilson said that many of the people on her floor did not immediately understand that there was a fire when the alarm sounded.

“A lot of people thought it was a drill and didn’t want to leave,” she said.

Wilson said that the RA and several residents knocked on each resident’s door on the third floor to make sure that they evacuate. The students had to wait approximately half an hour before being allowed to reenter the building at about 3:30 p.m., Wilson said.

Third-floor residents were able to return to their rooms about 30 minutes later.

“More than anything else, it was a big inconvenience,” she said.

CORRECTION (December 2, 2005): The article “LXR Evacuated After Bathroom Fire” (THE HOYA, Nov. 22, 2005, A6) incorrectly stated that a fire broke out in an LXR Residence Hall bathroom at 3 p.m. on Nov. 18. The fire actually occurred at 3 a.m. that day.

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