2008 Woodie Awards
Fire claims the lives of three UW-Stout students
Mary Malahy
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: News
On Saturday, April 5, a fire claimed the lives of three students at UW-Stout in an off campus residence.
The fire occurred between 3 and 3:30 a.m. and the City of Menomonie Police Department and Fire Department arrived at the scene around 3:37 a.m., according to the UW-Stout website.
The website also indicated that the first floor was safely evacuated; however, three victims were found in bedrooms on the second floor. The victims were pronounced dead at the Red Cedar Medical Center, according to a press release from UW-Stout.
The victims include April C. Englund, 21, West St. Paul, Minnesota; Amanda Jean Rief, 20, Chaska, Minnesota; and Scott A. Hams, 23, Hayward, Wisconsin, according to the UW-Stout website.
Englund lived in the home and Rief and Hams were staying over.
The cause of the fire is unknown and may take a few weeks to uncover. According to Menomonie Fire Chief, Jack Baus, the smoke detector was sounding when he arrived.
Charles W. Sorensen, UW-Stout's Chancellor, published a statement on the school's website expressing his grief.
"We mourn the loss of three fine young people," Sorensen said. "Our thoughts and prayers reach out to the family and loved ones of each of them."
UW-Stout has offered counseling services to students and posted coping tips on their website.
"Recovering from such a tragic event may seem difficult to imagine," the website said. "Persevere and trust in your ability to get through the challenging days ahead."
UW-L held a fire safety program on campus a few days before the fire occurred.
Chancellor Joe Gow expressed his condolences to UW-Stout in a campus wide email.
"Our hearts go out to the UW-Stout community at what is an unimaginably difficult time," Gow said.
Gow has taken the initiative to buy smoke detector batteries for any UW-L student who needs them. According to Gow, he was inspired to do this after Dr. Paula Knudson, Assistant Chancellor and Dean of Students, purchased batteries for students living off campus. The batteries are available at the Cartwright Center Information Counter, according to Gow.
"Perhaps at this time, the UW-Stout community might rededicate itself to maintain a healthy, strong, vibrant community where all are respected and where all have a supporting, caring environment; and where all can reach their greatest potential," Sorensen concluded.
The fire occurred between 3 and 3:30 a.m. and the City of Menomonie Police Department and Fire Department arrived at the scene around 3:37 a.m., according to the UW-Stout website.
The website also indicated that the first floor was safely evacuated; however, three victims were found in bedrooms on the second floor. The victims were pronounced dead at the Red Cedar Medical Center, according to a press release from UW-Stout.
The victims include April C. Englund, 21, West St. Paul, Minnesota; Amanda Jean Rief, 20, Chaska, Minnesota; and Scott A. Hams, 23, Hayward, Wisconsin, according to the UW-Stout website.
Englund lived in the home and Rief and Hams were staying over.
The cause of the fire is unknown and may take a few weeks to uncover. According to Menomonie Fire Chief, Jack Baus, the smoke detector was sounding when he arrived.
Charles W. Sorensen, UW-Stout's Chancellor, published a statement on the school's website expressing his grief.
"We mourn the loss of three fine young people," Sorensen said. "Our thoughts and prayers reach out to the family and loved ones of each of them."
UW-Stout has offered counseling services to students and posted coping tips on their website.
"Recovering from such a tragic event may seem difficult to imagine," the website said. "Persevere and trust in your ability to get through the challenging days ahead."
UW-L held a fire safety program on campus a few days before the fire occurred.
Chancellor Joe Gow expressed his condolences to UW-Stout in a campus wide email.
"Our hearts go out to the UW-Stout community at what is an unimaginably difficult time," Gow said.
Gow has taken the initiative to buy smoke detector batteries for any UW-L student who needs them. According to Gow, he was inspired to do this after Dr. Paula Knudson, Assistant Chancellor and Dean of Students, purchased batteries for students living off campus. The batteries are available at the Cartwright Center Information Counter, according to Gow.
"Perhaps at this time, the UW-Stout community might rededicate itself to maintain a healthy, strong, vibrant community where all are respected and where all have a supporting, caring environment; and where all can reach their greatest potential," Sorensen concluded.
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