Recent VCU dorm fire displaces students

Andrew Kerley, Contributing Writer 

A fire occurred in VCU’s West Grace South residence hall last month forcing multiple residents to move out. 

The fire alarm went off at 11:15 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 14 due to a grease fire on the second floor, according to an email statement sent out by Denis Garcia Reyes, the hall director for West Grace South.

“I was in my room and then all of a sudden the alarms went off,” said Jaylen Lyons, West Grace South second floor resident. “I was in a panic as I rushed to put on my clothes. There was a cloud of smoke coming out [of another dorm.]”

All VCU Housing Staff and Resident Advisors on the premises were asked to comment on the situation by The Commonwealth Times, but declined. 

The sprinklers successfully extinguished the fire — however, the water emitted flooded into the surrounding apartments, possibly causing damages, Reyes said in a speech to the affected residents after the fire.

“It is very upsetting,” Lyons said. “My stuff could possibly be messed up and they [VCU Housing Staff] are not giving us any information. They should at least let us come into our apartments to dry our things before telling us to leave.” 

Residents were allowed to re-enter the building at 1:24 p.m. Sixteen apartments on the first and second floor would continue to be inaccessible to their occupants until 5 p.m. 

“If my things are damaged, hopefully I could come to an arrangement with the school,” Lyons said. “Some people are not capable of having renter’s insurance, because living in the building itself is already expensive.”

Personal belongings of employees and students that are lost, damaged or stolen while on VCU property are not covered by the plan unless the personal property is damaged through the university’s negligence, according to the VCU Safety and Risk Policy.
“I got a text from my roommate, while I was taking a midterm, saying ‘I’m so sorry, I messed up and a fire started in our kitchen,’” said West Grace South second floor resident Diego Pantoja. “It really affected me because I was already really stressed out while taking my exam, then I got a call from the cops asking me for statements.”

Housing staff sent out emails to the affected resident’s professors in order to excuse them from academic responsibilities.

“I had a lot of valuable stuff in my dorm,” Pantoja said. “My computer, chargers, monitor and all the expensive stuff in my room were vulnerable to the sprinklers.” 

Residents were informed of the severity of the damages to their respective spaces at 3:30 p.m. on the day of the incident. 

Those with minimal damages were given the option to remain in their living arrangements, or be relocated to VCU’s Rhoads Residence Hall for two weeks. Those with severe damages, including Pantoja, were forced to relocate until the end of the semester. 

“At first, I was a little a little pissed about it because I pay more to live in West Grace South,” Pantoja said. “It is a bit of a downgrade, going into Rhoads. However, they gave me a nicer part of Rhoads with a kitchen and the same suitemates.”

Many of the affected residents stayed on the building’s first floor until the issue was resolved.

“We had to stay in the fireplace lounge for hours, but at least they got us pizza,” said West Grace South second floor resident Aleaya Whitfield. 

Residents were allowed access to their apartments, whether it be to settle in or collect their things for relocation, at 5 p.m. on the day of the incident. 

“The ceiling near my door was broken through,” said first floor resident Jakhi Beale. “There were some fans placed in the hallway. I guess they were trying to dry the floor.”

Multiple large, loud dehumidifiers were placed inside the affected dorms and hallways in order to stop the flooding. The equipment remained there for a couple of weeks, shortly after the end of fall break. 

“I don’t blame my roommate,” Pantoja said. “Mistakes happen. I’m just happy that he’s okay, because the way he described it [the fire], he really could have been hurt.”