Fire at ZM Chapter House

[CanadianTeke]

Fire hits WPI fraternity house
Four-alarm blaze forces 16 to flee
By April Simpson, Globe Correspondent | August 22, 2005

WORCESTER -- Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity brothers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute were awakened by thick smoke and screams early yesterday after a fire swept through the house, destroying valued keepsakes and what has been the group's base for 15 years.

The fire, which began about 5 a.m., caused extensive damage to the three-story structure at 63 Wachusett St. Officials are investigating its cause, but they believe the fire originated in a couch on the front porch.

Fourteen brothers and two guests all left on their own, and no one was seriously injured, said District Chief Frank Diliddo, a Worcester Fire Department spokesman.

One resident, Ryan Starbuck, complained of chest pains and was treated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital and released.

Collin Weingarten, 19, was sleeping on the third floor when he heard a commotion outside, saw flames reflected off windows across the street, and ran downstairs yelling for people to wake up.

''I tried to get out the front door, but the flames were way too intense," said Weingarten, whose face and bare chest were marked with soot yesterday afternoon. ''I tried to get out another door, but that didn't work, either. I literally got thrown back by the flames."

Starbuck, 20, awoke to the smell of smoke outside his second-floor room.

''The scariest thing was seeing the windows blowing out," said Starbuck, who ran up and down the stairs several times to alert his housemates. ''Everyone was already out, and I didn't know. I couldn't see anything. I couldn't breathe."

Frat brothers recovered a few items yesterday afternoon. They took their sneakers, books, clothing, chairs, and fans out of the house, where they had moved in last week in preparation for classes, which begin Thursday.

The brothers talked of rebuilding or reclaiming their home.

Justin Schumacher, a 2003 graduate who visited the scene yesterday, said he lived there for two years.

''It's not like I lost anything but the little bit of history I had here," said Schumacher, 25, noting that paddles and class pictures were destroyed. ''It's just sad seeing it."

Blackness covered nearly every inch of the house's exterior. Water dripped from the ceiling above the porch.

More than 50 firefighters responded to the four-alarm fire, which occupied much of the fire department's capabilities. Neighboring towns supplied mutual aid.

The sprinklers and smoke detectors activated properly, but the fire, which also damaged the exterior walls of a neighboring house, spread through the inner walls, officials said. No foul play is expected at this time, Diliddo said.

Administrators met with the displaced brothers yesterday to discuss their medical and academic needs and to provide short-term housing in area fraternity houses and on campus. This semester, 28 students were scheduled to live in the house, said Janet Richardson, vice president of student affairs and campus life.

The Zeta-Mu Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity has been at WPI since 1959 and at its current location since 1990.

The fraternity is active on campus and received an outstanding chapter award last year, said Stephen Hebert, university vice president.

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Thankfully nobody was hurt, Hopefully the house was well insured and they can begin rebuilding the house, at least they know they have a few hundred thousand brothers out there who could lend them a hand.

[gillisc679]

Dear fraters,

It’s been three months since fire ravaged the fraternity’s Chapter House at 63 Wachusett Street. This devastating event requires a tremendous effort to overcome. The time since the fire has been marked by great strength and determination demonstrated by the undergraduates and the Board of Advisors alike. I would like to update you on the status of this project.

Insurance Update:
We employed a public insurance adjuster who helped us reach a settlement with our carrier, Chubb. We have received what we consider to be a fair settlement, as permitted by our policy on the property and contents coverage.

Fundraising Update:
Understanding the tremendous reconstruction costs the Chapter would face, 256 alumni have so far pledged a total of over $65,000 to the effort. Many pledges were for unspecified amounts. Of these, $60,370 have been collected so far. A complete report will be published in the coming months as additional donations trickle in.

Reconstruction update:
We employed ServoPro who provided demolition services and the removal of wet or fire-damaged building materials. Many composites were damaged in the fire and we have started the process of getting them replaced or repaired. F. W. Madigan Company has secured the house against the elements and protected it from the winter. We have employed the architectural firm of Gregory J. O’Connor Associates to create the detailed reconstruction plans. We expect this work to be completed in late January and Construction Manager solicitation to begin then. The actual construction work should occur between February and June.

Database Update:
Through several years of neglect, our alumni mailing list contained many inaccuracies. The efforts to contact all of our alumni through the fundraiser brought this fact to light. The database on the Chapter’s web site has been made temporarily unavailable while the update is underway. Nearly three hundred mailing addresses have been corrected, and this update is expected to be completed before Christmas. Working down the list of “lost” alumni will be an ongoing challenge.

Brotherhood Update:
The active Chapter is resilient. They threw a memorable Homecoming and have just completed Rush. Sixteen new members have joined the fraternity this fall, despite the challenge of not having a central meeting place. The Red Carnation Ball is tentatively scheduled for February 18th, and the actives welcome our involvement. Look for a formal invitation soon.

In Closing:
The events of this fall have galvanized many Tekes, forcing us to think about what our fraternity means to us, and what it should mean to us. Sometimes, this relationship does not meet our expectations. There have been some uncomfortable times this fall, as we have become more aware of the poor relationship between the active Chapter and our alumni.

As one example, the Chapter has gotten out of the habit of publishing a printed newsletter to our alumni. Many alumni have commented on this fact as a sign that their connection to the Chapter has been broken. Printed newsletters are only one element of a good program of regular communication between Chapter and alumni. A perceived lack of interest in maintaining alumni connections to the Chapter is a criticism voiced often in the past three months. We need to do a better job.

As we proceed with the reconstruction effort, it may help to think more expansively about rebuilding - not just a house, but a Fraternity. I look forward to working with each of you who wishes to become involved with this rebuilding.

Yours In The Bond,
Charlie Gillis
TKE/ZM Board of Advisors President

[hoosier]

Good to hear your board is getting stuff done.

Like yours, many chapter ignore the alumni until something is needed (usually money).

Best wishes to ZM.

[ophitke38]

They did a good job of protecting the Chalice of Apollo as well, I understand.

Best,
YITB,
Walt