Spring Break
Paper fire forces evacuation of Joe West Hall
Kyle Szymanski
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
A piece of paper that was deliberately lit on fire by a student forced the evacuation of Joe West Hall on Tuesday, said a university housing official.
Shortly after 11:15 a.m. a housing maintenance employee found a piece of paper that had been deliberately set on fire by a student on the 11th floor of Joe West Hall, said community relations coordinator Kevina Brown.
"I wasn't sure if it was a false alarm," said Deanne Campos, a freshman liberal studies major and resident of Joe West Hall. "I was trying to sleep."
A maintenance worker pulled the fire alarm, which led to the evacuation of the building, Brown said.
She said there were no injuries.
Smoke from the burning piece of paper circulated throughout the building through the ventilation system, Brown said.
She said the San Jose Fire Department responded within minutes of the call, searched the building, and determined that there was no further risk to students.
Students were allowed back into the building at 12:30 p.m., when the minor fire was put out and minimal damage occurred, Brown said.
A fire had previously broken out in Joe West Hall during the summer, Brown said.
Wes Roberson, a freshman business administration major, said he was out eating when the incident took place.
"When I came back, all this was going on," Roberson said.
Students were notified of the incident via the intercom, located in all SJSU classrooms.
Freshman biology major Awet Tekle, who said he lives on the fifth floor of Joe West Hall, said he slept through the fire alarm and didn't hear about the incident until he woke up at 3 p.m.
He said he felt the alarm should be louder in the hallways of Joe West Hall.
"It wasn't just me who fell asleep, my roommate fell asleep through it as well," Tekle said. "I think having an R.A. come to the door would help, because the alarm was not loud enough."
Ben Vargas, a sophomore justice studies major who also lives on the eighth floor of Joe West Hall, said he was in class when he heard the alarm.
"My first thought was, 'Man that sucks,'" Vargas said.
Vargas said he felt that he couldn't do anything if a fire broke out on his floor while he was away.
"If my stuff burns in a fire, oh well," Vargas said.
He said he felt the fire drills were enough preparation to get out of the building safely in case of a fire.
"You got to be pretty stupid to not know how to go down stairs with a giant sign with that says 'Exit,'" he said.
Loni Kung, a freshman pre-nursing major who lives on the eighth floor of Joe West Hall, said she was only able to hear the alarm after leaving her dorm room.
"You couldn't hear it at all in the dorm," Kung said. "If I didn't go to the bathroom, I wouldn't have heard it."
Shortly after 11:15 a.m. a housing maintenance employee found a piece of paper that had been deliberately set on fire by a student on the 11th floor of Joe West Hall, said community relations coordinator Kevina Brown.
"I wasn't sure if it was a false alarm," said Deanne Campos, a freshman liberal studies major and resident of Joe West Hall. "I was trying to sleep."
A maintenance worker pulled the fire alarm, which led to the evacuation of the building, Brown said.
She said there were no injuries.
Smoke from the burning piece of paper circulated throughout the building through the ventilation system, Brown said.
She said the San Jose Fire Department responded within minutes of the call, searched the building, and determined that there was no further risk to students.
Students were allowed back into the building at 12:30 p.m., when the minor fire was put out and minimal damage occurred, Brown said.
A fire had previously broken out in Joe West Hall during the summer, Brown said.
Wes Roberson, a freshman business administration major, said he was out eating when the incident took place.
"When I came back, all this was going on," Roberson said.
Students were notified of the incident via the intercom, located in all SJSU classrooms.
Freshman biology major Awet Tekle, who said he lives on the fifth floor of Joe West Hall, said he slept through the fire alarm and didn't hear about the incident until he woke up at 3 p.m.
He said he felt the alarm should be louder in the hallways of Joe West Hall.
"It wasn't just me who fell asleep, my roommate fell asleep through it as well," Tekle said. "I think having an R.A. come to the door would help, because the alarm was not loud enough."
Ben Vargas, a sophomore justice studies major who also lives on the eighth floor of Joe West Hall, said he was in class when he heard the alarm.
"My first thought was, 'Man that sucks,'" Vargas said.
Vargas said he felt that he couldn't do anything if a fire broke out on his floor while he was away.
"If my stuff burns in a fire, oh well," Vargas said.
He said he felt the fire drills were enough preparation to get out of the building safely in case of a fire.
"You got to be pretty stupid to not know how to go down stairs with a giant sign with that says 'Exit,'" he said.
Loni Kung, a freshman pre-nursing major who lives on the eighth floor of Joe West Hall, said she was only able to hear the alarm after leaving her dorm room.
"You couldn't hear it at all in the dorm," Kung said. "If I didn't go to the bathroom, I wouldn't have heard it."
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