Fire slide
Charles Hamilton, superintendant for construction of the new science building at Southeastern Community College, slides down the roof of the building after inspecting a vent while searching for the cause of a fire in the building Thursday.

New SCC building damaged by fire during inspection

• New Cartrette Building site of attic fire Thursday that took place while building underwent final fire inspection.

By BOB HIGH
Staff Writer

Acting Fire Marshal Shannon Blackman satisfactorily tested the fire alarm Thursday in the new Cartrette building at Southeastern Community College, and went to his vehicle to finish some paperwork.

The alarm went off while Blackman was at his vehicle. Efforts to shut it off failed, and workers tried to determine what caused the problem. Electric connections were checked, but the alarm continued to sound.

The alarm system showed the problem was in the attic area. Charles Hamilton, project superintendent for Monteith Construction of Wilmington, used a ladder to check the attic.

Hamilton opened the attic entrance and saw flames. One of several large cardboard containers left by workmen was on fire, and the flames had spread to other material.

Hamilton immediately ordered all of his workmen and subcontractors out of the building. County fire units were called. It was 12:27 p.m.

Three workers went to the attic area and used a garden hose to knock down the flames before firefighters arrived at 12:33 p.m.
“They slowed the fire and their action saved some major damage to the building. It was real hot up there,” county fire investigator Jeffrey Bell said.

The three workers who inhaled some of the acrid smoke and were treated by rescue workers and taken to Columbus Regional Healthcare. They returned to the site after being checked at the hospital.

Bell said the contractor called a restoration company Thursday afternoon and they were working Friday to repair the damage.
Bell said it appeared a discarded cigarette placed in one of the cardboard boxes that was full of plastic and paper caused the fire.

“The contractor has a no-smoking policy in the building, but that’s what we found happened,” Bell noted.