Fire destroyed the room of two '95s in Delta Gamma sorority Wednesday afternoon, causing thousands of dollars in damage to their personal belongings.
An apparent electrical malfunction caused the fire in the room housing Kim Barry '95 and Moriah Shilton '95.
The fire was contained after it set off the sprinkler system, which soaked the room with about an inch of water.
The fire was electrical in nature, according to Hanover Fire Department Executive Captain Mike Whitcomb. The Fire Department is still investigating.
According to Woody Eckels, an administrator in the Ofice of Residential Life, an extension cord of the type prohibited in Greek houses was probably involved. ORL checks houses several times each term to make sure all extension cords are either three pronged and have only one plug, or are connected to a surge protector.
The fire started beneath Shilton's bed. She said there was an extension cord beneath her bed for a fan, but that it was unplugged.
Two computers and a stereo were among the items soaked with water.
Barry's hamster drowned when the sprinkler system was activated. Barry and Shilton were offered rooms in dorms but decided to stay in DG that evening.
The alarm went off at 3:59 p.m., according to Hanover Fire Department Captain Mike Clark. He said Whitcomb arrived in his own car in less than one minute and an engine came within three minutes.
Whitcomb broke the windows in the first-floor room before the Fire Department entered through the front door.
Eckels said the building is insured but personal belongings are not normally covered by the College. He said the personal belongings could be insured through the students' families' home-owner insurance policies.
Books and class notes in the room were destroyed, but Barry and Shilton said they would be able to make it through the end of the term by relying on the help of sisters in the sorority.
DG President Kellie Cummings '95 said house members are donating money for cleaning the clothes that were salvageable.
Barry and Shilton both said the fire's worst consequences were the loss of what was truly irreplaceable -- sentimental personal possessions and Barry's hamster Buddy.
"You always hear of fires but you never realize that it could happen to you," Shilton said. "It's not as bad as it could have been and I'm happy about that."
