Fire alarms awaken students in dorm

Students who live in Southeast Missouri State University's south tower dormitory didn't get much sleep Wednesday night after two fire alarms forced them out of their beds for several hours.

Authorities at the university launched an arson investigation early Thursday after the second fire alarm.

The first alarm sounded at 2:40 a.m. on the 11th floor when smoking popcorn left in a microwave too long set off one of the alarms.

Firefighters were called back an hour later when smoke filled the halls of the 10th floor. Apparently someone lit some paper towels on fire in one of the community shower areas.

Bleary-eyed students were herded to the lobby to wait while firefighters and police investigated. They stayed there from 3:30 to 7:30 a.m.

Annoying situation

"It's unbelievably annoying," said resident Crystal Lewis, who lives on the 11th floor of the tower.

She said she slept through her first class, which was at 9:30 a.m., because she didn't get back to bed until after 7:30 a.m.

"I was just too tired to get up," she said.

Other students had similar stories, saying they either slept through or were late to their morning classes.

Jim Masindonski was lucky because his first class was at 12:30 p.m. Still he was pretty tired, he said, adding: "I had like, three hours of sleep."

After the first alarm, microwaves were removed from each floor.

Doug Richards, director of the university's Department of Public Safety, said the second fire is under investigation as an arson.

Evidence -- including a section of sofa believed to have been contaminated with flammable liquid -- has been sent to Southeast Missouri Regional Crime Lab.

"This kind of stuff used to happen all the time," said one student who asked not to be named. In fact, students in recent years have been seen wearing T-shirts bearing the logo "Taking it one drill at a time."

He said he slept through the first drill, but not the second. Students can face heavy fines if caught ignoring fire drills.

Community advisers, who live on each floor, knock on every door to make sure the other students get out.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160