A small fire broke out in the drama department's Helms Theatre yesterday morning. The fire started in a prop box and did not spread, said Richard Jones, battalion chief with the Charlottesville Fire Department.
The fire department is still investigating the cause of the fire, but Ralph Allen, the University's director of environmental health and safety, said a malfunctioning prop cigar was probably the cause.
"In all likelihood, it was a stage prop that was designed to keep the stage safe," Allen said. The electronic cigar had not been working but was still kept in the prop box. The battery might have shorted out, starting the fire, he said.
"It was a store-bought product proven to be safe on stage and it just malfunctioned," drama department Technical Director Steven Warner said. "We're doing a little more studying about what happened by calling the product company."
Graduate drama students Jemmy Chen and Jessica Cloutier-Plasse heard alarms go off and discovered the fire.
"We saw orange flames coming up," Chen said.
The two students put the fire out with an extinguisher, dragged the prop box outside and then called the fire department.
When the fire department arrived 15-20 minutes later, they found smoky conditions and ventilated the building. The building also was evacuated.
"All the protocols were followed, and I think everyone acted on it very quickly," Warner said.
After the fire department left, Environmental Health and Safety workers continued to clean up the building. They let students and faculty members back in at about 1 p.m.
"The wooden cabinet they store the props in, because of its construction, did a good job of containing the fire. I think they will probably get a metal one to do even a better job," Allen said.
Chen said several of the props were damaged, as was the box itself.
"Other than that, everyone was fine. The theatre was fine," she said.
A symposium that was supposed to be held in the theatre at 4 p.m. yesterday was moved to the Fiske Kimball Fine Arts Library, but the department's production of "By the Bog of Cats" went on at 8 p.m. last night as planned.
Read More
What is U.Va.’s Faculty Senate?
By Adeline Miller | 3 days agoThe Senate is able to represent the faculty perspective to legislative bodies through positions such as the faculty representative to the Board of Visitors.
UJC finalizes 15 cases in spring semester
By Grace Little | 4 days ago10 pending cases remain on the docket to be processed in the fall.
Democrats, Republicans fight after Cuccinelli’s appointment blocked in committee vote
By Ford McCracken | 4 days agoThe Committee also blocked appointees to the Board of Visitors at other Virginia schools.
