Smoke in Widener

Harvard engineers and Cambridge firemen rushed to Widener Library at noon yesterday when smoke was noticed filling the Widener Memorial Room.

The smoke was caused by a malfunctioning heating system and was confined to the one room, Martha E. Shaw, curator of the Harry Elkins Widener Collection, said yesterday.

Shaw said she noticed the smoke shortly before noon. By noon, four fire trucks had arrived, and a systematic investigation of the building was being conducted. Nothing was damaged.

Two of the fire trucks were called in again at 3:30 p.m. According to Shaw, this time the call was in response to a faulty alarm system.

"The fire alarm system sometimes even gets caught up with the burglar alarm and telephone system." a fireman on the scene said. "But we keep coming," he added. "Someday they might just burn this place down."