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Second F&M frat (KS) closed
Second F&M frat closed
By Paula Holzman
Intelligencer Journal
Nov 27, 2004 2:02 PM EST
LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Lancaster city has condemned a second Franklin & Marshall College fraternity house this week, this time citing unsanitary conditions.
The condemnation of the Kappa Sigma house at 249 Charlotte St. was triggered by nonpayment of a utility bill, which shut off the building's smoke detectors.
On Monday, city inspectors condemned Delta Sigma Phi fraternity house after a police raid there netted more than 100 underage drinking arrests and exposed unsanitary, overcrowded conditions, they said.
City fire and housing inspectors arrived at Kappa Sigma early Wednesday morning after a call from the house's alarm company informing them the building's power had been shut off because of an unpaid bill.
No power meant no smoke alarms - a violation of city housing and fire codes, Lt. Thomas Ganse, senior fire department inspector, said.
When inspectors arrived, they found the power had been restored, later learning that the utility bill had been paid.
No one appeared to be home to share the good news, however, because the students were on Thanksgiving break.
"That created a whole other issue," Ganse said. "All kinds of TV sets and lights were turning on, and we had no idea if space heaters or anything else was on."
Concerned that unattended appliances or heaters could become safety hazards, inspectors tried to determine if anyone was home.
While knocking on doors, the inspectors found the side door open, Ganse said.
After shouting into the house to see if anyone was there, the inspectors called college security and entered the house with security officers.
What they found inside triggered the condemnation.
"It was dirty - beer cups were sitting around; there were sticky floors, backed-up sinks, things like that," Ganse said.
Matt Parido, director of the city's bureau of housing and structural inspection, would not elaborate on the unsanitary conditions inspectors found, except to say the house was "dirty."
Until the house passes inspection, Parido said, residents will be allowed inside only from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Inspectors will return to the house Monday to determine if the building is up to code.
College officials have been in touch with fraternity members about the condemnation, Marcy Dubroff, F&M's associate director of college communications, said.
Some members plan to return this weekend to begin the cleanup, she said.
F&M will provide housing for displaced students should the house fail inspection Monday.
"Obviously, the health and safety of our students is of paramount importance to the college, and we want to make sure all our students living off campus are complying with city regulations," Dubroff said.
"We'll work with students to make sure that happens."
The house last passed a city inspection in early September, Parido said.
Members of Kappa Sigma fraternity could not be reached for comment by press time.
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