In the midday of April 13, another fire struck campus grounds.
According to Ken Miller, Assistant Vice President of Public Safety, two female students (who Miller did not identify for privacy reasons) parked their car outside of the Rollins Museum of Art and began to examine it. Smoke escaped from under the hood within three to four minutes after the students exited the vehicle, and the engine compartment caught fire soon after.
Miller went on to explain that an officer from Campus Safety noticed this smoke shortly after it began, at which point he contacted the dispatch officer to contact the Winter Park Fire Department (WPFD). By the seven-minute mark, WPFD had arrived and put out the fire, which Miller said caused heavy smoke to fill the area.
“During the time that the officer was waiting for [WPFD] to arrive, he retrieved three fire extinguishers from adjacent buildings to try and put the fire out,” said Miller. “Unfortunately, it continued to grow and had to be put out by [WPFD] when they arrived on the scene.”
He noted that no foul play or malicious intent was present and added that this is not the first time such an event has occurred on campus. “Unfortunately, with the number of vehicles on campus, situations like this have happened over the years,” he said.
As the semester draws to a close, Miller emphasized the importance of regular vehicle maintenance before students begin their journeys home. “At the end of each semester, you might be driving a longer distance to go home or some other location,” he said. “While it is difficult to be a student with all of the draws on your time, take the time to get the basics checked with things like an oil change, tire rotation, tire pressure check, ensuring all of your lights and turn signals are functioning properly, etc.”
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