Cleanup continues at Clark Hall following small fire

A small but intense electrical fire in the early hours of March 6 knocked out all power and air conditioning to Clark Hall and inundated the residence hall and cafeteria with smoke.

The UNT Police reported the fire to the Denton Fire Department at 1:32 a.m. At that time, only 40 of the 400-plus students residing in Clark this spring were in the building. All student residents and staff were evacuated and temporarily relocated to other campus facilities during the weekend and the building was closed pending assessments by the Denton Fire Department; the Office of Risk Management and Environmental Services; and the Department of Housing and Residential Life.

According to reports from Wendell McCloud, UNT fire marshal, and Gus Myers, Risk Management director, the fire — apparently resulting from a short circuit in electrical switchgear in the mechanical/boiler room beneath the separate Clark Hall Cafeteria (Clark Grill) building — destroyed the switchboard and burned up wiring and plumbing in the area of the mechanical/boiler room, but it did not spread.

As soon as possible on March 6, Housing and Residence Life engaged the firm of Blackmon Mooring and Gunn Restoration to begin the task of cleaning and deodorizing Clark rooms, equipment, furniture and furnishings. They completed enough work on March 6 and 7 to allow students to return after 6 p.m. March 7.

At no expense to student residents, Housing and Residence Life collected all clothing that was not in drawers and sent it to a Fort Worth facility specializing in smoke damage for professional laundering or dry cleaning.

For the present time, temporary generators are supplying power and air to the residence hall. Clark Grill will be out of service for a yet-to-be-determined amount of time. Officials say it could take until May to restore all systems to normal conditions.

Elizabeth Warren, Housing director, points to special efforts — such as free laundry machines in Clark, free pizza March 7, free barbecue and entertainment for Clark students March 8, temporary bed linens provided, donations of clothing for those whose clothing was most smoke damaged and required more cleaning, explanations to professors and replacement of food in students' in-room refrigerators — as steps the university is taking to help Clark students return to normal life.

Housing and Residential Life estimates the overall cost of the cleanup to be in the neighborhood of $300,000 however, Myers advises that the repair and replacement of wiring, equipment and generators destroyed or damaged by the fire will drive the final cost closer to $600,000.

University insurance, deductible in the amount of $100,000, will be used to cover repairs and replacements.

BY RODDY WOLPER rwolper@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• UNT plans second annual beautification day
• Spring brings Texas severe weather season
• Regents approve honorary degree, authorize new athletic center completion
• Staff awards presented at sack lunch
• April brings University, Alumni Appreciation, Honors days
• UNT student is a Truman Scholarship finalist
• Faculty Senate hears provost's academic plan for future of UNT
• Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing earns three national awards
• TAMS students are semifinalists in national science competition

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