Carla Galarza '13 was the first to notice the fire due to a burning smell coming from the bathroom, located across the hall from her room, she said. Approaching the bathroom to investigate, she noticed that the light fixture inside was on fire, in addition to the floor and ceiling, she said.
"I screamed and one of my sisters came out of her room, and in the time she turned to look at the bathroom, I was looking for a fire alarm to pull," Galarza said.
Galarza pulled the fire alarm before the smoke detectors had a chance to set the alarm off automatically, according to Gilbert.
Seconds later, Galarza and other members of the house rushed to evacuate residents.
"I banged on doors on the second floor and one of my sisters ran down the stairs to bang on doors on the first floor," Galarza said. "As I went down and walked outside, there were already a bunch of people following me. Once everyone saw our expressions, they realized it was real."
The quick action of EKT members contributed to the safe evacuation of the house's residents, Gilbert said.
Galarza said fire trucks arrived at the house within minutes because they had been previously dispatched following a fire alarm that had gone off at Delta Delta Delta sorority.
Fire departments from Hanover, Lebanon and Hartford responded, according to Associate Dean of the College for Campus Life April Thompson.
"They were so quick and professional and did such a good job of handling the situation and making minimal impact on the house to make sure that there wasn't water everywhere," Thompson said.
The fire ran from the second floor bathroom ceiling to the back of the building, according to Gilbert. The sprinklers did not go off, and the damage from fire and water was moderate.
Thompson said quick response on the part of students and the fire department prevented the activation of the sprinklers, avoiding unnecessary water damage.
"If the sprinklers don't need to go off, they don't," she said.
The cause of fire was accidental and likely electrical, according to Gilbert.
The fire displaced 23 members of EKT, who were led back into the house in pairs by firefighters to retrieve personal belongings for the night, according to Director of Safety and Security and College Proctor Harry Kinne.
Safety and Security collaborated with the Dean of the College's Office and Office of Residential Life to ensure that EKT members were provided with food and housing, Kinne said.
After evacuating the house, displaced members of EKT relocated to the living room of Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity, where they ordered pizza.
At that time, EKT president Claire Hunter '12 said they were working with the College to make other arrangements.
"We're a strong sisterhood we'll pull through," Hunter said. "Everyone's safe, no one got hurt and there's minimal damage, and that's all that's important."
Thompson said the majority of the house's residents found temporary housing at the Lodge residence hall, while others stayed with friends.
Electricians, plumbers and custodians are working to repair the damage and electricity so the majority of residents can return to the house on Monday, according to Thompson.
The house bathroom and drywall will remain under construction for a more extensive period of time.
Several members whose rooms are located close to the fire's origin will be unable to return for approximately a week because several walls were torn down, and additional repairs need to be completed, Thompson said.
Thompson said all fire safety measures in place worked effectively at EKT and that all Greek houses are up-to-date on fire inspection.
In order to prevent fires and ensure that they are handled effectively when they occur, fire inspections are conducted at sorority and fraternity physical plants on a regular basis, according to Thompson.
Inspections of fire safety and fire alarm drills occur quarterly, while fire extinguishers are evaluated monthly. Fire inspections also occur immediately before big weekend celebrations, she said.
"The students in the house have the most knowledge of what's working well," Thompson said. "Be cautious in your house when something doesn't look right or you see something suspicious, don't hesitate to take action."
