There was no smoke detector on the third story of 500 E. Beaver Ave., where a Penn State student died in a fire early Sunday, fire officials said yesterday.

Centre Region Fire Marshal Walter Wise said a working smoke detector on the third floor of the house would have given residents, including 21-year-old electrical engineering major Christopher Raspanti, more warning of the blaze.

"There were some smoke detectors located," Wise said. "None have been located on the third floor."

Four smoke detectors were found in the basement, first and second floors, but three of them were either disabled or had their battery removed or disconnected.

The status of the fourth detector could not be determined, according to a press release from Centre Region Code Administration Senior Fire and Housing Inspector Tim Knisley.

According to the release, the house is classified as a single-family dwelling, requiring it to have at least one working smoke detector on each floor.

Residents are responsible for maintaining the devices and can be fined up to $50 if they are disconnected.

Ed Comeau, director for the Center for Campus Fire Safety, which is a national organization dedicated to student fire safety, said that since January 2000 there have been 74 fatalities in student housing across the country. Of those, three-quarters have happened in off-campus occupancies similar to Sunday's fire.

He added that missing fire detectors are one of the most common elements in fatal fires.

The fire was discovered at 6:42 a.m. Sunday by two sanitation workers and a taxi driver, who called 911 and alerted the building's residents. According to officials, 13 people escaped from the building, including five on the third floor, four on the second floor and at least four on the first floor.

State College Police Sgt. John Gardner said preliminary evidence indicates that the fire was an accident.

"We're focused on interviewing witnesses and constructing a timeline," he said. "There is nothing suspicious to indicate foul play."

Gardner said the Centre Region fire marshal, the state fire marshal, Centre County Code Administration and the State College Police Department are working together on the investigation.

"We're looking at what factors may have come together to trigger this unfortunate tragedy," he said. "We're going to look at what sort of safety devices the house had. ... We won't conclude our investigation until we have all the conclusive reports."

In the meantime, Comeau said area fire officials should continue fire safety education for students to prevent future tragedies.

"The Centre Region Code Administration has been working to educate students," he said. "To address this issue in the short term, both the university and town should come together to educate students."

Comeau added that the Centre Region Code Administration is known for its "aggressive approach" to fire safety, which includes routine inspections of off-campus residences and student fire-safety programs.

Borough Planning Director Carl Hess said the house, owned by Rodney Hendricks, is about 80 years old.

Repeated calls made to Hendricks by The Daily Collegian were not returned yesterday.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said Sunday that displaced residents have been placed in Graduate Circle Apartments, where they can remain until the end of finals.

He added that the Red Cross is helping the university replace books and other belongings lost in the fire.

"It's the end of the semester in a week," Mahon said yesterday. "We do what we can to help."