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ol&.nu&.ry 4, 1984 -UTAH
STATE UNIVERSITY -Logan,
fhe no smoking signs are now up in the Hub temporary hang-out for USU smokers as the Briar is now open in the SC basement. .................. Page 3
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It is the film critic's prerogative to pick the IO best and worst movies of the past year and our resident critic does just that in this issue. . . . . . . . . . . . ....... Page 14
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it@it~~ m@rru. USU flagship, Old Main, marred by fire The Dec. 19 fire that destroyed the north wing of Old Main happened at an opportune time, according to USU President Stanford Cazier. Had classes been in session or final exams underway the evacuation of the building would have been problematic and the risk to the health and safety of those within the building might have been high, he said. Fortunately, Utah's oldest functioning academic facility (built in 1888) had a low population that particular Monday morning . The classrooms were empty, for the most part, and many faculty members were absent from their offices in the building. The events of the Dec. 19 fire transpired as follows: 10:20 a.m. - (time approximate) John Roy and Derrick Thom, professors of geography, hear a loud "popping" noise in the hallway outside their third floor offices in the north wing of Old Main. The noise was followed by
a flickering of the lights on the third floor. It was later concluded that a ballast in a flourescent fixture had exploded, initiating the blaze. 10:33 a.m. - the fire alarm sounds in the building. Logan City central dispatch calls the Logan City Fire Department, the Smithfield Fire Department and the Hyrum firefighting contingent. Shortly thereafter, Thom calls the fire departmem on his own after first smelling smoke, then seeing a light fixture faU from the ceiling and flames where the fixture had once been fastened. 10:35-11:00 a.m. faculty members scramble to retrieve items of value from the various offices and laboratories in the north wing of the building. Employees and volunteers in the records office move grades and other imponant data into a fireproof and waterproof vault for protection.
that will best suit the situation. USU poiice search through the third floor for possible victims of smoke inhalation or other hazards and begin° clearing the entire building. 10:37 a.m. - Logan City fire trucks arrive at Old Main. 11:05 a.m. - (time approximate) firefighters begin putting water on the fire from the outside of the building, something the growing crowd outside the building greets with enthusiasm; the firefighters, it seemed, were having trouble with some of their ladder gear and many in the crowd began to voice a concern that the building would burn to the ground before a drop of water was put on the fire. 11:40 a.m. - volunteers begin moving fur· niture and valued items from the lower floors of Old Main - including Champ Hall , where the president's office and many other ad· ministrative offices are locat ed. At the fire's apex, firehoses were trained on (continued
on page 7)
St~vt•Adams Photo
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