Dumpster fire evacutes University Towers

A fire in a dumpster brought the Alpha Fire Co. to University Towers, 458 E. College Ave., at about 8:55 p.m. last night.

"We had a dumpster fire, and it filled, I do believe, the fourth floor down with heavy smoke. So we evacuated the building," Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Martin said.

The dumpster was located on East Calder Way to the rear of the apartment building.

In the frosty night air, residents of the building clumped outside together, staring at the lone dumpster, the source of their evacuation, now dripping wet with water as the fire fighters put away their hoses.

"At first I thought it was a big old cigar," said Matt Ruggie (sophomore-recreational and parks management). Ruggie said he and his roommates Nick Kalbach (junior-recreational parks management) and Matt Petro (sophomore- division of undergraduate studies) exited their sixth floor apartment because they smelled smoke. Upon entering the hallway, Ruggie said the smoke was much thicker, making it difficult to breathe, so the trio re-entered their apartment. Shortly thereafter, the building was evacuated because the smoke had risen from the dumpster into the building.

Kristin Mullen (sophomore-political science) said there have been a few fire alarms this year that have evacuated the building, but until last night, none had resulted in a fire.

-- by Jennifer Nejman