Fire in Quincy House Forces Early Morning Evacuation

A small fire broke out on the second floor of New Quincy at 2 a.m. this morning, stranding hundreds of bathrobe and pajama-clad residents for an hour in the courtyard below.

The fire, in one of the downstairs bedrooms of Quincy 315, triggered a sprinkler system and was quickly exinguished, according to Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) Sergeant Bill McNamara.

No students were in the suite when the fire broke out, and no students were injured.

The fire itself caused only "minor" damage, but water trickled under fire doors and soaked Quincy 314, 318, and 319 in addition to room 315.

Fire officials used pumps to suck about six inches of water from the affected rooms, running hoses out of the windows and draining the water into the courtyard. Firefighters and University engineers used large fans to blow a thick black smoke out of the rooms and hallway.

"Its not a healthy place to be right now," said John Gerry, the senior tutor in Quincy House.

The newly-instated Director of the Institute of Politics former Senator

David H. Pryor (DArk.), who lives directly below room 315, said his room sustained water damage through the ceiling.

"We're not going to worry about it right now," he said. "We'll just roll with the punches."

In addition, he said a light fixture in the hallway outside his suite burst from the weight of water seeping through the floor above.

Quincy House Co-Master Marjorie North said students in those rooms would be housed in the Quincy Junior Common Room for the night.

The Cambridge Fire Department responded, bringing fire engines from three fire stations in addition to two ladder trucks.

All but one truck left the scene shortly after the fire was extinguished.

Ladder 1 remained behind to help University engineers with the clean-up.

Joseph P.X. Turian 01, who lives down the hall from the affected rooms, said firefighters awakened him and escorted him out of the building. He said he wasn't aware of a fire alarm going off in his room.

"I'm still trying to catch my breath," he said.

McNamara said that firefighters are unsure what caused the fire and the investigation will continue into the weekend.