Yesterday, we were informed by the Epsilon Theta Chapter President that the chapter house at Tufts University caught fire. Fortunately, all brothers are safe and uninjured. Tufts has provided housing arrangements for the affected brothers as an inspection of the house is completed. The Fraternity has dispatched a Leadership and Education Consultant to be with the brothers during this time. As you will see in the article below, our Epsilon Theta brothers are addressing the issue and have a very positive outlook.
Coincidentally, the fire at Epsilon Theta occurred during Fire Prevention Week - and we encourage all of our chapters to review safety procedures in their homes. Check your smoke detectors, hold fire drills, clearly mark your exits (and make sure that they are free of clutter!) and make sure all of your fire suppression equipment is charged and in working condition!
This article was posted with permission from Wicked Local Somerville.
No injuries in Tufts frat house fire in Somerville
By Monica Jimenez/Wicked Local Somerville
Somerville -- A working fire at a Tufts fraternity house at 100 Packard Ave., in Somerville damaged a mattress in a third-floor bedroom and displaced the house's seven occupants for a week, but did not injure anyone.
The fire started in the bedroom of the Theta Chi frat house the afternoon of Oct. 9, most likely with the wiring of an electrical fan, said Somerville Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher, but it's under investigation.
Big one is: non-suspicious," Kelleher said.
By the time Tufts police, the Tufts fire marshal and Somerville firefighters responded to the fire at 3 p.m., sprinklers had largely controlled the fire, Kelleher said. Firefighters ran a line to the third floor and finished the job.
"Sprinklers will often control a fire, but not extinguish it," Kelleher said. "They had to open up the mattress, cut it open and make sure the material wasn't burning."
Aside from the mattress and a window, the fire did not do much damage, but all floors sustained extensive water damage, Kelleher said.
As dripping water sounded through the windows of the house, Tufts fire marshal Skip Mullane said the students would not be able to move back into the house that day and Residential Life would find other facilities for them.
Dressed in jerseys, sweatshirts, collared shirts and leather jackets, a group of young men on the sidewalk said they lived in the house but declined to talk to the Journal, saying their president would speak for the fraternity.
Theta Chi president Alex Kolodner, a senior who's majoring in peace and justice studies, was looking on the bright side.
"This is a challenge, of course, but it's an opportunity for us to show our true character and what we really stand for, to support each other and ennoble each other, to refocus our activities on what's important," Kolodner said.
Some members of the house will most like "double up" with other fraternity members living off campus, Koldner said.
"One brother helps another," Kolodner said.
The upstairs walls will be replaced, and Kolodner said he hopes the frat gets a new house eventually.
"We respect our house very much. Now it can be made better," Kolodner said.
Kolodner said and four other members of the house were sitting outside when the fire alarm wen off.
"Another brother and I ran to the panel on the side and saw it was on the third floor," Kolodner said. "In the past, they've gone off because of water or someone cooking bacon. I didn't think it was serious."
Kolodner ran up one of the two stairways to the third floor and round nothing, but when he went up the other staircase, he saw smoke and a small fire in the area of an electrical wire running from a small fan to the wall.
"I ripped off my sweater and beat and smothered the fire," Kolodner said, displaying soot and white melted synthetic material on his blue striped zip-up sweatshirt. "The smoke was getting thick, so I opened the window and ran downstairs."
About half an hour after the fire, a Somerville fire district chief told the grouop they could go inside the house to salvage belongings, suggesting they take items such as books and cameras, but not much more.
As students walked into the house, someone yelled, "Grab the TV!" A moment later, loud groans and a curse or two floated out the windows as they observed the damage.
One student emerged carrying only a backpack and a brown and white striped scarf. Other items saved included a laundry basket with garbage bags full of items, and laptops, tablets and desktop computers. Most of the residents are "computer types" and several have campus technical support or library jobs, Kolodner explained.
One young man in a blue jersey carried out a yellow backpack, a pair of sneakers, several small wooden signs with names painted on them, and a brick with a plaque that read "Old North Basement, 1856, Norwich University." The names belong to past and present Theta Chi members and the brick is from the building that housed the founding chapter of the fraternity, Kolodner said.
Kolonder also checked to make sure that the 50 composites (collections of photographs) lining the walls were still intact. The composites depict all past and present Theta Chi members, he said.
"History is important to us," Kolodner said.
All told, the fire didn't ruin much, Kolodner said.
"We don't have much in the house. Most of it can be replaced, which is the nice thing," Kolodner said. He added, "We don't define ourselves by things, as much as our character and activities."
Dedicated to the values of truth, temperance and tolerance, Theta Chi works to bring the Tufts community together through events such as the Tufts Best Dance Crew, and benefits nonprofits through evens such as the upcoming Oct. 27 Philanthropy Day Color Run. About 300 people will run around a section of reserved road and get splashed with different colors, and proceeds will go toward affordable housing.
Kolodner joined the fraternity in his freshman year, he said.
"When I came to Tufts, I didn't drink alcohol or smoke marijuana or go partying. I thought I'd stay in my room and be fine," Kolodner said, "Bit I wanted something more."
A friend introduced him to Theta Chi, where he met fraternity members who were sober, "goofy," and in some cases "hardcore Christian," Kolodner said.
"We're redefining what it meas to be a fraternity on campus. That conception of a fraternity as animal life, Animal House, is not us," Kolodner said. "We were founded with nobility in mind and we're trying to go back to that. That means building good relationships with campus and the community, and helping whoever we can."
We are so very thankful that the brothers of Epsilon Theta Chapter are all safe! Our best wishes and thoughts to the brothers.
You can read the article that appeared in the Tufts Daily by clicking here.