Cause of fire still unknown

By Anna Douglas 

Rock Hill fire officials have established a point of origin for the fire that disrupted campus events over the weekend and class on Monday, according to a press release from the city of Rock Hill. The cause is still unknown. 

Fire Investigator Captain Otis Driggers of the Rock Hill Fire Department determined that the fire started outside the building on a small section of flat roof located where Owens Hall and Bancroft Annex join. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Through the investigation, Driggers reviewed and ruled out the mechanical room, HVAC and elevator systems. In addition, the only piece of mechanical equipment in that area of the roof is an exhaust fan, which also was reviewed and ruled out, according to the press release. 

Based on the evidence so far, all indications are that the fire started accidentally. Driggers expects to complete the investigation into the cause of the fire in the next week to ten days, but says the possibility remains that the cause of the fire may not be determined. 

The university does have insurance on Owens and that money will be the primary resource for funding re-construction and recovery efforts, she said. 

The loss of Owens as a key academic building for the rest of the semester is a "serious event," Masters said. "Folks are really concerned (about personal items in offices)." Faculty were able to enter Bancroft in supervised shifts to retrieve necessary items yesterday. 

The university understands that books and research material are important to "professional identity," Masters said. 

This afternoon, work crews were on-site. Wooden planks and scaffolds surrounded Owens. Masters said recovery crews were inside. 

Information Technology officials were also inside evaluating damages to computers and other SMART technology.