Leverett Fire

Fire completely gutted a room in Leverett House early this morning. The blaze, first reported at 3:31, was brought under control within ten minutes and damage to adjoining rooms and the corridor was estimated as slight.

The occupants of the room, Athanasios Boulukos '59 and John T. Tangeman '59, reported that they were both absent when the fire started, and returned to find the room ablaze. They said that it had apparently begun in a wastebasket.

Deputy Chief William J. Cremins, directing elements of three fire companies which converged on the scene, said the fire was "probably caused by a cigarette."

Boulukos and Tangeman tried to put out the blaze with fire extinguishers but were driven back by the smoke. Firemen wearing gasmasks subdued the flames with water when they arrived about five minutes later. A window was knocked out, and flamings sofas, chairs and tables were thrown into the courtyard below.

Cremins said that several of the rooms in the same corridor would probably have to be completely repainted due to smoke damage.