Three ATOs Killed in Ole Miss Fire

[zuzu575]

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) -- A fire swept through a fraternity house at
the University of Mississippi early Friday, killing three members,
school officials said.
The blaze at the brick and wood-frame Alpha Tau Omega house
broke out before dawn, and firefighters needed about two hours to
bring it under control, chapter adviser Al Bell said. Hours later,
smoke billowed out of where the roof had been.
School spokesman Mitchell Diggs confirmed the three deaths.

[Rudey]

That's awful. I met several ATOs in my lifetime - great men. My condolences.

-Rudey

[DeltAlum]

Yes, it is a tragedy. There is another thread on this. It might be good to consolidate the two.

I am also going to add a thread in the Risk Management Forum.

[astroAPhi]

I had heard they were missing, but I guess this confirms it.

Prayers to the brothers of ATO.

Strange...and tragic. I have a good buddy who's an ATO. Great guy but they tend to be a little off-target.

Also reported on CNN concerning the Ole Miss chapter:

In 2001, the university suspended the fraternity because two members appeared in an Internet-posted photograph showing a man dressed as a police officer holding a gun to a man in black face pretending to pick cotton.

Alpha Tau Omega expelled the two members and apologized, and the fraternity was reinstated in 2002.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally posted by NickLc24
Strange...and tragic. I have a good buddy who's an ATO. Great guy but they tend to be a little off-target.

Also reported on CNN concerning the Ole Miss chapter:

This thread wasn't started to point out the bad things they did. It's to remember them.

This is a very sad story.

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
This thread wasn't started to point out the bad things they did. It's to remember them.

This is a very sad story.

My apologies for pointing out key facts in the chapter's recent history.

[ATOtnBetaTau]

I got a call from the soon-to-be-wife this morning about the fire. She didn't know if anyone had died yet. I knew I could probably find something here though.

My prayers go out to the chapter and the young mens' families.

Jason

[shadokat]

After living through the deaths of 5 fellow greeks in one local fraternity house fire in 1994 on my campus, and then 3 more in the TKE Fire in 2000, I can honestly say my heart and prayers are with these brothers and their families. The other greeks really need to come together and support ATO through this. On our campus, both fraternities said that it was the support within the Greek community that helped them to continue.

So sad...

[TN-TX ADPi]

My thoughts and prayers go out to the ATO chapter, Ole Miss campus, and families of the victims.

As for bringing up former actions of this chapter at a time like this-I think that is just plain sorry. The past is totally irrelevent to this tragedy. This fraternity has enough to deal with at the moment without being drug through the mud about an occurence that happened a few years ago.

Again, thoughts and prayers go out.

The past is totally irrelevent to this tragedy.

Obviously not to the news networks, I guess we'll let the investigators find out. Don't shoot the messenger.

[OleMissGlitter]

The campus right now is quiet and somber...I'm so upset about this my stomach is sick. There will be a 3pm news conference today on campus. I'll keep ya'll updated....
-Katherine, AOII Chapter Adviser

Please prayer for the Men of Alpha Tau Omega and their family and their friends and the Ole Miss campus. The Greek System here is very close so this is going to affect everyone...

[ZZ-kai-]

Please keep us updated.

Pics and article

[Buttonz]

My thoghts and prayers to the families and to ATO

[moe.ron]

My prayers with the families and the Ole Miss community.