Three ATOs Killed in Ole Miss Fire

[ADPiShannan]

To all those at Ole Miss and everyone who knew someone who passed away in the fire, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and the families. It so tragic and so horrible, esp since school is just starting. Its a horrible way to start a school year.

Please let us know if we can do anything to help. Donations to the fraternity, money, food, clothes, anything. I know I am more than willing to donate anything I can send to the campus. I also will let the sorority know here so they can send letters or cards or make any doantions as well.

I have some friends at Ole Miss and when I heard that I was so upset. One of my friends is dating a ATO and she says the Greek community is a mess. My thoughts are with everyone.

The one boy died a hero trying to help his brothers. It made me cry when I read that article on him. This is such a tragic event.

[hottytoddy]

Donations can be sent to:

Delta Psi Fire Relief Fund
ATO National Headquarters
One North Pennsylvania, 12th Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46204

[OleMissGlitter]

This happened when I was a collegiate member of AOII, the community came together then to help the ATOs....

Monday, April 27 1998 © The Daily Mississippian
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Early morning fire fills Alpha Tau Omega house with smoke
By Will Glover
Senior Staff Writer

An early morning fire Saturday at the Alpha Tau Omega house left approximately 35 fraternity members temporarily homeless after the fire caused extensive smoke damage to the house.
"Right now we're just staying with our brothers in their apartments," said Alpha Tau Omega president Brady Williamson.
The fire began around 2:45 a.m. Saturday in the house's boiler room, said interim Oxford Fire Chief Jerry Johnson.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
"Nothing at this point in time has been ruled out" including arson, Johnson said.
"Everybody was able to get out. There were no injuries other than a few minor scrapes," Johnson said.
"The fire damage is very limited. There is some smoke and heat damage, but there is basically no structural damage to the building."
Thirty-seven firefighters, three fire trucks and a ladder arrived on the scene two minutes after a phone call to 911 at 2:47 a.m. They were able to contain the fire to the boiler room and an adjacent room.
"We put exhaust fans in to ... limit the amount of smoke damage to the building." However, there was still "extensive smoke damage throughout the house" partly due to the ductile system of the house, Johnson said.
The front portion of the house, where the kitchen is located, sustained little damage.
All firefighters were gone by 4:30 a.m., and an investigation was conducted later in the morning.
Johnson still has more statements to take concerning the fire and has not talked to the person who discovered the fire, he said.
The fire came a few hours after the chapter held its annual Gator Bash. There were approximately 75 to 100 people left in the house at the time of the fire, said Buddy Chain, president of the local board of trustees of the fraternity.
The party Saturday night was moved to the Gin, which was reserved in case of rain, Williamson said.
Residents of the house were allowed into the house two at a time on Saturday and Sunday on an emergency basis.
"Starting tomorrow afternoon, we'll let folks go in there and get their stuff out -- basic stuff out," Chain said.
Chain said they will not open the house until at least the end of the semester.
"It wouldn't be conducive to studying or good health to let people live in there.
"If we can get the electricity back on, the house mother wants to do some feeding if she can."
Chain said the house will "definitely" be open for the fall.
The Alpha Tau Omega housing corporation will meet tomorrow to discuss the status of the house and to "try to get ready to open the house as soon as possible," Chain said.
The corporation will also discuss the house's insurance policy, which is through the University, and to make sure that all members who resided in the house have a place to stay.
"I'd like to thank the Oxford Police Department for a great job, and the University Police Department and the men of the fraternity," Chain said. "We feel very fortunate no one was injured."
"Our brotherhood could not get any better," Williamson said. "We're going to stick together through this."

[DeltAlum]

For your information, I have listed contact information for a man from the National Fire Sprinkler Association in the Risk Managment forum. He is expert at dealing with city/county codes and those that make them.

Part of his agenda is to get more sprinkler systems installed in more buildings, including Greek housing, in a cost effective manner.

[thetalady]

Originally posted by OleMissGlitter
This happened when I was a collegiate member of AOII, the community came together then to help the ATOs....

Monday, April 27 1998 © The Daily Mississippian
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early morning fire fills Alpha Tau Omega house with smoke
By Will Glover Senior Staff Writer

Please forgive me if this is overly critical... the SAME house burned just 6 years ago? Somehow that makes this tragedy even worse. It sounds like there could be serious problems with the structure. I hope the concern is moot at this point. I have to assume the house will not be repaired this time.

Patti
Ole Miss Alum

[OleMissGlitter]

I'm pretty sure that they will be rebuild a new house on the same lot. Yes it is sad.

[DeltAlum]

A quote from a column in the Daily Mississippian says a lot of what the Greek System is all about:

"We've seen an outpouring of donations from strangers and friends alike. We've seen prayers from around the nation. And while they're both the most revered and criticized sect of Ole Miss, the greek community has again proven its worth in a time of tragedy. Every black ribbon around a greek house's column speaks for the hundreds of men or women who treat this loss as personal.

Every blue and gold ribbon tells Alpha Tau Omega that despite the everyday divisions on this campus right now the Delta Psi chapter of Alpha Tau Omega is thousands of people strong. In this case, it's important to remember that fall is also the time when brothers are made. The three men who lost their lives Friday morning were known first as brothers of a common cause. The history of ATO says that the fraternity was founded not in imitation or reaction to any other fraternal order. It came from Christian principles, and now the mothers, fathers, siblings and friends of those who perished need exactly that. ATO is reaping what it's sown since 1865: an idealistic attempt to foster a Christian community. We should all take notice."

[hoosier]

Student Killed in Frat House Fire Laid to Rest

POSTED: 6:47 am EDT September 2, 2004

ATLANTA -- Jim Williams routinely reminded his son Jordan of two expectations so the two could one day meet in heaven: find a purpose in life and push yourself to achieve.


"I am proud to say Jordan lived up to his side of the bargain," said Williams, prompting the crowd of hundreds at his son's funeral to break down into sniffles and sobs.

Jordan Williams was one of three victims of a fire that swept through the Alpha Tau Omega house early Friday at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. Authorities are still awaiting lab results to determine the cause of the fire.


Williams' friends and family spoke of a 20-year-old who lived his credo -- that life should be enjoyed, not endured.

He was the type of student that, even as a first-grader, was the social coordinator of the class, his father said. It was then that Jordan's parents were called in to the classroom to discuss a complaint filed after Jordan had kissed a female classmate.

It seemed the problem was more widespread -- Jordan had been smooching girls throughout the playground.

Their son's explanation? "He said he was a member of the 'Lovers' Boy Club,"' his father recalled.

As Jordan grew older, he evolved into a cool, logical thinker who counseled his father to avoid stereotypes and take life's complications in stride.

Classmates described a budding renaissance man, a friend who was a compassionate listener, voracious reader and intense music lover.

Three busloads of classmates from Mississippi joined the mix of friends that streamed into the sanctuary.

Fraternity brothers clenched their eyes closed, fighting back tears while some girls stood prepared to position the sunglasses cocked conveniently above their heads.

Students wearing the conservative uniforms of the Lovett School, the private academy Williams attended, sat alongside a band of mourners sporting sandals with their shirts and ties.

In between sobs, Williams' closest friends spoke of attending the final show of jam band Phish in Vermont, perhaps their happiest memory of their classmate.

A pillow stitched with the band's name lay in the coffin beside Williams' head, and lyrics from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' song "Dosed" rested on his chest. Two shirts emblazoned with the Greek letters of his fraternity sat beside him.

While his loyalty to his friends was applauded, church leaders said Williams' devotion to his faith made him unique.

Dr. Paul Walker, pastor emeritus for Mount Paran Church of God, recalled standing at the same altar 20 years ago, declaring a baby Jordan's life to God as he held him in his outstretched hands.

"The pattern is finished, the mosaic is completed -- and the painting has turned into a masterpiece," Walker said.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

I am an OleMiss Alum where I was also a KD...I am deeply saddened by this tragedy! My mother takes treatments from the Oxford Cancer Center and I drove her and ran by the ATO house and its a miracle that anyone made it out alive!
My God be with the ATOs and the OleMiss Community