Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 4/25/02 Section: Campus News

Three months after a fatal fire, a handprint still smudges the soot on a doorway at one of the entrances to the third floor of Boland Hall at Seton Hall University. Matt Rainey / Newark Star Ledger [Click to enlarge]

In a deadly residence hall blaze Jan. 19, 2000, at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., Frank S. Caltabilota, John N. Giunta and Aaron C. Karol died and 58 others were injured.

The arson fire began when a banner was torn from a wall in Boland Hall and ignited on a nearby sofa. Flames from the first sofa spread to two nearby sofas, which caused smoke to immediately fill the hallways. Flames spread throughout the third floor.

The sofa contained a highly flammable petroleum based substance, polyurethane foam, which is commonly found in household furniture.

Nearly 20 out-of-court settlements have been reached between the victims' families and Seton Hall University.

There have been no arrests.

A special grand jury has been meeting since October to determine culpability in the fire. Among the issues facing the grand jury are a string of 19 false alarms that preceded the fire, the use of combustible materials in public buildings at the university and more than 800 violations that were found.

Tiffani Analla

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