Sue Loughlin
The Tribune-Star
ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS —
No one was injured, and fire damage was limited to a basement storage area and a first-floor office during a fire Tuesday in Guerin Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
The fire did send smoke throughout the four-story, 97-year-old historic building, which had to be evacuated. Guerin Hall houses the college president’s office and other administrative offices. Some classes are taught there, and a few graduate students live on the third and fourth floors of the building.
Classes, offices and residents have been relocated to other buildings on campus, and that information is available on the college’s website at www.smwc.edu.
Smoke from the fire traveled to the Conservatory, which was also temporarily evacuated, although classes will resume in the Conservatory today.
The Sugar Creek Fire Department, which responded to the fire and quickly had it under control, will be back on the scene this morning to investigate and determine a cause, said James Holbert, fire chief with the Sugar Creek Fire Department.
The fire began about 12:30 p.m. Alarms went off and students, faculty and staff were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.
“We’re very happy no one was hurt,” said Dee Reed, the Woods’ executive director of college relations. “Everything else can be fixed.”
Dottie King, interim college president, said she was sad about the fire but grateful everyone got out safely.
King’s office has been relocated to Le Fer Hall.
The fire apparently started in a basement storage area and flames burned a hole in the basement ceiling and damaged graduate studies offices in the northeast corner of the first floor, officials said at the scene.
Smoke traveled through an elevator shaft to the rest of the building.
Reed said, “The plan we have in place worked. Fire alarms went off as they should and staff reacted appropriately … We’re very grateful for all the firefighters who quickly responded.”
Holbert said it appears structural damage was kept to a minimum. While smoke spread throughout the building, “That can be taken care of with cleaning and ventilation,” he said.
Sophomore Breanna Marrs had been on her way to a Spanish class in Guerin Hall when she saw that the building had been evacuated and several fire trucks were on campus. “It’s kind of sad,” she said as she watched events unfold on the lawn in front of the building. She was concerned about contents in the building that might be ruined. But she’s also been told “it’s a strong building.”
While the building has a lot of ornamental wood, the main structure consists of concrete block and stone, Holbert said.
Holbert noted that one of the challenges in fighting the fire was limited access for fire equipment. “We had to stretch about 300 feet of hose to get to the front door,” he said.
Diana Warren, who works in the human resources office in Guerin Hall, stood outside as firefighters put the fire out and then worked to ventilate the building.
It was too soon to know what exactly would happen to offices in Guerin and when and where they might resume operation. “Everybody’s safe. That’s the main thing,” Warren said.
Late Tuesday afternoon, people were able go into the building with firefighters to recover belongings, but they were not able to assess the extent of damages, Reed said.
In addition to the Sugar Creek Fire Department, the Terre Haute Fire Department, New Goshen firefighters, Trans-Care and a “rehab” bus from the Prairieton Fire Department – providing air-conditioned relief to firefighters – were at the scene.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
