Updates on Fire, So. Aurora St.

~ Samantha Allen

Here's a map I assembled with pictures to tell a more detailed story about the tragic fire that destroyed 12 residents' home at 313 So. Aurora St on Friday Oct. 10.


View Larger Map

The map also elaborates on the displacement of the fire's victims: 10 of the students were from IC. The college's ResLife and Public Safety worked to place nine of the students in Emerson Hall for the rest of the semester. The other student was placed into Hood.

IN OTHER NEWS, a student living in the back of the apartment reported stolen goods to the Ithaca Police Department after returning the following day to move out. Deputy chief John Barber said an Xbox 360, a Nintendo and several video games were missing. An investigation by IPD is pending.

Barber said a window was left unlocked but senior Isaac Hattem who lives on 311 South Aurora St. and is now living in Emerson, said the building was not boarded up properly. Hattem said he and the other living mates had remained fairly optimistic about the situation but one of the most disheartening events was this reported burglary.

“I think everyone made the best out of a horrible situation,” Hattem said. “… The worst part was the house wasn’t boarded up right, it was left open. You couldn’t lock the door because hoses were in the way.”

He said although very few of his belongings were destroyed, he heard some other residents may be placing claims against NISEG, the local electrical company.

“We’ll have to wait to hear back on that,” he said. “We were told that it was NISEG’s fault, and the electrical charge had culminated at our house.”

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To watch a video I assembled on the tragedy, check out the previous post here.

The breaking news entry I am updating on the Ithacan newspaper's website can be found here.