WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A faulty exhaust fan sparked a fire that tore through two College of William and Mary dorms last month, the college announced Monday.
An electrical short in the ventilation fan in the attic of Preston Hall led to the May 3 blaze, the college said in a statement, citing a Virginia State Police report. The fire left gaping holes in the third-floor ceiling of the dorm and destroyed its roof. Nearby Giles Hall was damaged by smoke and water.
No one was injured in the blaze.
The kitchen fan was not designed for its use, the report said.
Housekeepers in Preston Hall reportedly saw smoke and went from room to room telling students to evacuate when alarms did not sound. Students said alarms later rang after everyone was outside.
Bill Walker, a college spokesman, said the alarms did not sound immediately because the fire was located in the attic and did not trip the alarms on lower floors.
The college plans to hire an independent consultant to review maintenance contracts for fire alarm and sprinkler systems and evaluate the alarm systems in every building, Walker said. The school has already begun conducting an in-house review of its fire detection system.
Renovation work should begin on Preston Hall next month, but will not be finished by the beginning of the fall semester. Students will temporarily be housed at the Governor's Inn.
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