Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State administrators are meeting with students this afternoon [Oct. 6] to discuss accommodation options for those displaced by the Sunday evening [Oct. 5] fire in the Oak Hall residence hall.
The university is immediately beginning repairs to the four-story building, which in addition to sustaining fire and smoke damage, incurred extensive water damage from the triggering of the hall's fire suppression system. Fire officials gave an all-clear for the fourth floor when they determined no damage occurred on that level, and women living on the fourth floor chose to remain in their own rooms after the fire was extinguished and the building was secured.
MSU President Mark E. Keenum will again be in attendance as Oak Hall students meet with MSU housing officials in order to listen to student concerns. Keenum first met with Oak Hall students after the fire on Sunday night.
No injuries were sustained in the fire which ignited on the third floor of Oak Hall, one of the university's recently constructed halls that opened to students in 2012. Local fire officials said that a burning candle in a residential room apparently caused the fire, which was quickly contained by the building's fire suppression system and responding fire units.
Only one wing of the two-wing residence hall was affected, and most of the displaced students will be able to return to their rooms before the weekend; however, about 30 double-occupancy rooms will require more extensive repairs and will remain unavailable to about 60 affected students for approximately a month, officials estimate.
Bill Broyles, interim vice president for student affairs, emphasized that there are enough on-campus beds available to immediately accommodate students who wish to remain in residence halls. However, he said the bedroom spaces available are in older halls that have not been recently renovated. Oak Hall is a premium residence hall, he noted.
Broyles said affected students also will have the option of early termination of their campus housing contracts if they choose to relocate to an apartment or sorority house space instead.
"We are trying to accommodate these students who are being inconvenienced through no fault of their own, and we have come up with three options that we believe will meet the variety of student needs and preferences," Broyles said. "On campus housing is available to any student who prefers that option, although roommates may be temporarily separated. Hotel spaces are being secured by the university and we are providing transportation to and from the university through our shuttle system. We also will assist students who want to find off-campus apartments," he added.
A Tuesday morning apartment fair will showcase properties which have partnered with the university and agree to offer affected students short-term leases from October through May.
For more information about Mississippi State, visit www.msstate.edu.