Bissell fire evacuates residents in early hours

EMI ITO / The Dartmouth Staff Bissell Hall residents evacuated the building early Sunday morning after a trash can in a second floor men's bathroom caught ablaze, according to the Hanover Fire Department. Some Bissell residents reported that the fire was caused by an improperly disposed cigarette butt, but others have speculated that alcohol may have been involved in the incident or that the fire was a deliberate act. Hanover Police and Safety and Security were unavailable to comment on the official cause of the fire due to the fact that the fire occurred on a Sunday. The Fire Department dispatched 10 firefighters to the scene, but when they arrived at 5:27 a.m., six minutes after receiving the call, the fire had already been put out with a fire extinguisher, Acting Duty Officer David Hautaniemi said. "Unless someone was throwing a cigarette in a trash can at five in the morning, it kind of sounds like it was intentional," said Erik Douglas '10, a resident of Suite 201 where the fire occurred. After the fire was first discovered when a male attempted to use the second floor bathroom only to discover a partially melted, flaming trash can, most residents evacuated the building to find Hanover Police officers already arriving on the scene, Bissell residents said. The Fire Department cleared the building for reentry at 5:56 a.m., according to Hautaniemi. "One of the big trash cans was dragged out and had been melted down to about a foot," third floor Bissell undergraduate advisor Jeannie Valkevich '08 said. The students from the second and third floors were taken to the Bissell-Cohen Lounge where they met with Safety and Security officers, firefighters and Community Director Kristin Deal. Male residents living in the suite where the fire took place were questioned separately by the police, Michael Zirngibl '10 said.

Plan B pill available over the counter now

Asafu Suzuki / The Dartmouth Staff Due to the new Federal Drug Administration ruling that Plan B be distributed over the counter, Dartmouth students can now find Plan B at their nearest hometown drug store.

Home Plate aims to be waste free

Kawakahi Amina / The Dartmouth Staff Home Plate debuted this Fall term with a new waste sorting method, compostable cardboard to-go boxes, and brown, bleach-free napkins -- all in an attempt to make Dartmouth's dining facilities more sustainable. The no-waste project is the first of its kind at any university, according to Sustainability Director Jim Merkel, who was the driving force behind the changes.

Evolving Vox makes move in easier

Lauren Wool / The Dartmouth Senior Staff Students who wish to avoid the hassle of buying, moving and storing their belongings when they move in and out of dorms can now turn to Evolving Vox LLC, a temporary ownership business started by Jack Groetzinger '07 and Russell D'Souza '07 that rents furniture and electronics. D'Souza and Groetzinger developed the business after they realized the impracticality of investing in quality furniture that would only be used for their senior year. "Fundamentally, we think the market for furniture and electronics at Dartmouth is inefficient -- at the end of the school year, students are often unable to find anyone willing to buy their used furniture for a decent price," Groetzinger said. Students can furnish their dorm rooms by selecting items such as futons, lamps, telephones, televisions and refrigerators on the company's website. Evolving Vox will then deliver all items at the beginning of the term and pick them up at the end of the term when students move out. Those renting from Vox list the condition of the rentals and the low cost as their primary reasons for renting. "Their prices were great," Azi Tzfadya '07 said.

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