6 USC Students killed in fire

[MeoW333]

My prayers to the families of the deceased.
I hate to say it, it sounds like arson. What are the odds that 12-13 college kids are all going to be passed out asleep or partying and not one of them smell smoke? If the lights were on all night according to a neighbor; and other houses nearby were rented to college students also, you would think it would be quite a festive environment and smoke would be smelled/noticed. Almost all name brand cigarettes nowadays are made so they burn out if not inhaled in awhile. I am a smoker and was driving one day to notice my cigarette had burned out after a minute. With the extent of damage done to the structure, i would think an accelerant was used. It seems alarming that no one would have noticed the smoke or flames in time to get everyone out. If the house is on stilts, and the side with the heaviest damage was facing a canal; then possibly neighbors were not on that side. I wonder if there were any rival frats near. Also with high winds, would add to fuel it such as the Santa Ana winds and all the forest fires out west. I really hope they do a good arson investigation on this.

 

[SuziQ]

MeoW, I hope a complete investigation is done as well, given the extent of the damage and the fact that seven people didn't make it out. IMO, scenario that's not heard of much in newer houses.

 

[MeoW333]

LE really needs to get lists of all the kids that were staying in neighboring beach houses as well. If any had any background in firefighting, they would know those wind conditions and directions well. Something is not right with this whole scenario..

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I heard about this first thing this morning and it just broke my heart. What a horrible thing. I can't imagine the pain the families and their fellow classmates are going through . I will keep them all in my thoughts and prayers.

It is a miracle that anyone escaped. I think they will find it was an accident. The chiminea or a candle maybe. I don't think it was arson. The smoke alarms were operable and I guess they just didn't wake up. Very tragic accident.

 

[SuziQ]

The chiminea has been ruled out.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/753419.html

Authorities briefly considered an outdoor fireplace, known as a chiminea, located under a second-floor as the source of the fire, but have ruled that out, said Ocean Isle Mayor Debbie Smith.

A report is expected in a couple of days on the cause of the fire after an ongoing investigation by town police, the State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

 

[ember]

I just watched an interveiw with one of the survivors on the Today Show. Tripp Wylie was his name. He was able to jump from the 3rd floor into the canal...which was quite a jump. Miraculous that he made it. His girlfriend died in the fire. They showed pictures of all of the victims. Looked like a bright, full of promise, beautiful young group. My heart goes out to all involved.

 

[s_finch]

Could have been arson but I doubt it. One father was quoted (can't remember who right now) that he believes those that didn't make it out were overcome with carbon monoxide and probably never woke up. Students on the bottom floor escaped, only one from the top floor escaped and he jumped to safety. He didn't say whether any of those on the top floor were awake or screaming and we've had to reports of hearing screaming from those trapped so I'm thinking carbon monoxide is a real possibility.

I don't know how CO travels (is it lighter than air?)but I'm wondering about it as it seems those on the top floor might have been so overcome by it as to not wake up, or could possibly have already been dead from it by the time the smoke alarms went off.

Course, the CO theory is all just speculation right now.

 

[jantel74]

This is so sad. I live in NC and love the beach areas. I doubt that it was arson though. I think either the carbon monoxide was too much (but then the one guy jumped from the top floor) or either they had drank so much alcohol the night/hours before that they were just in a very deep sleep. I remember most people in college drank a lot on the weekends. This brings back memories of the UNC fire back in 96. Such a waste that these peoples lives were taken.

 

[JBean]

This is such a horrible story. Gosh I think there were more killed in this fire than in all the SoCal fires of last week put together.

Some friends of my sons burned down their apartment last year. They were able to save themselves by jumping to adjacent balconies. One boy was seriously burned but did survive. the burned boy was cooking on the stove after they got home that night and everyone else went to bed.He sat down and promptly fell asleep. The food cooked away and ultimately set the pan and then the stove and then the entire apartment building on fire. The 4 other sleeping young people had no idea he was cooking or anything was wrong until they were trapped in their bedrooms by flames.
Point is this fire could have been started as easily as food on the stove. I am not suggesting that it did start that way, only that it could have had very innocent beginnings.

God Bless them all.

 

[SuziQ]

The more I read the more I am just horrified by this tragedy. C02 is a weird thing. It can creep up the inside of walls and out electrical outlets. Could be the survivor from the third floor had a window open. I really hope C02 came into play here. The alternative is too horrible to think about.

 

[s_finch]

I don't know to change the title, I should have included the Clemson student in it as well.

 

[RubyJune]

I read somewhere that one female survivor told a parent she thought a pizza left in the oven may have started the fire.

 

[CarpeDiem]

This is such a horrible story. Gosh I think there were more killed in this fire than in all the SoCal fires of last week put together.

Some friends of my sons burned down their apartment last year. They were able to save themselves by jumping to adjacent balconies. One boy was seriously burned but did survive. the burned boy was cooking on the stove after they got home that night and everyone else went to bed.He sat down and promptly fell asleep. The food cooked away and ultimately set the pan and then the stove and then the entire apartment building on fire. The 4 other sleeping young people had no idea he was cooking or anything was wrong until they were trapped in their bedrooms by flames.
Point is this fire could have been started as easily as food on the stove. I am not suggesting that it did start that way, only that it could have had very innocent beginnings.

God Bless them all.

It sure could have innocent beginnings. Our next door neighbors burned their house down when they left a gas grill on the deck on the clean function. The fire went from the deck, up the back wall, straight to the attic and the whole thing was a loss, in no time at all. No injuries or fatalities but it was a horrible day and evening and weeks afterwards.

 

[Littledeer]

This is so tragic. Both my son and daughter are in college and have gone to SC by the beach during their spring breaks. This could have so easily have happened to them.

One of the deceased: snip......

Sophomore Allison Walden, 19, grew up in the Midwest but sought out warmer weather for her college experience, her father said by telephone from Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Chagrin Falls is about 1/2 hour from where I live. I feel so sad for all the family members who have lost someone in this tragedy. They were so young with promising futures ahead of them.

A prayer for all of them. More angels in heaven.

 

[Curious J]

Investigators say they cannot rule out smoking as the cause. They cannot be sure. Six of the 13 students at the beach house smoked. Read article below.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/218573.html

 

[PrayersForMaura]

http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/nov/08/fire_victims_honored21608/

COLUMBIA — Roughly 1,500 people attended a University of South Carolina memorial Wednesday that featured songs and a somber slide show to honor seven South Carolina college students killed in a beach-house fire in North Carolina.
The main stage at the Koger Center was adorned with six wreaths, each bearing a single red flower in honor of the University of South Carolina students, including Fort Dorchester High School graduate Cassidy Fae Pendley, killed in the Oct. 28 blaze.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Band of Brothers

SAE President Talks About Grieving, Media's Presence​

The phone at the lake house would not stop ringing. For the 20 or so gathered there the night before, it was way too early. If they ignored it, maybe whoever it was would give up and go away. But the phone kept on ringing; the first troubling sign that everything was going to be different for the men of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) from that point on.


http://www.free-times.com/index.php?cat=1992912064025693&ShowArticle_ID=11460611070609062

 

[jantel74]

That is just so sad. May they RIP. I hope the ones left behind find peace with the situation.

 

[CarpeDiem]

Investigators say they cannot rule out smoking as the cause. They cannot be sure. Six of the 13 students at the beach house smoked. Read article below.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/218573.html

I'd be interested to know if the owner's did some winter preparation at the end of the season last year. Did they paint, varnish, put any chemicals on that deck (which is where they had said the fire started), shortly before the kids came? It just seems there would be a combination of factors, in addition to possibly careless smoking.

 

[reb]

Just as I suspected.

I see smokers doing stupid careless stuff all the time.... they flick their ashes into a trash can, or on the ground, leave butts burning in ashtrays.. OR ON THE EDGE OF TABLES (this is a frighteningly common one!).. and counters, and deck railings. And,,, when people are drunk.... well, you do the math. Sad, but it's too bad people don't realize how dangerous smoking is on so many levels. If anyone ever did a count of all the fires/disasters/deaths on record caused by cigarettes (not even including lung cancer).. I bet it would be astronomical.