Firefighters Quickly Contain Dorm Fire at University of Tennessee-Martin

Oct. 13, 2004
A dormitory fire at the University of Tennessee-Martin was quickly doused by a sprinkler system Tuesday night, officials said. No one was hurt.
MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) -- A dormitory fire at the University of Tennessee-Martin was quickly doused by a sprinkler system Tuesday night, officials said. No one was hurt.

An estimated 150 to 200 students were evacuated briefly from Browning Hall right after the fire at 6:48 p.m., Martin fire chief Oran True said. A release by the school said the dorm has 434 residents.

``The sprinkler system worked exactly as it should have,'' he said.

The three-story, coed dorm suffered some smoke, flame and water damage to lower sections.

A university police officer was treated and released for smoke inhalation, and two dorm student staff members also received treatment, the school said.

True said the fire apparently started when a hot light bulb was placed down a trash chute.

In 1996, a student died of smoke inhalation in a fire at another campus dorm.

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