A fire damaged this non-occupied student residence on Jan. 16. (Communications and Public Relations)
Lincoln University, PA— An unoccupied residence that caught on fire January 16, 2013 could have been caused from the boiler in the basement.
The building was old and had been undergoing renovation. “They were working on the boiler. We’re not saying they started the fire but they were working on it at the time, said Chief Larry Woods, Lincoln University director of Public Safety.
According to Assistant Chief Sam Terry, the engine crew located the fire in the front room that was coming through the floor from the basement.
Fire departments from West Grove and Cochranville as well as other areas came to assist with the fire.
The firefighters stretched a landline to the front door to enter the building.
Terry said the first floor was knocked down quickly, which left fire fighter Tim McDonnell to seep through the floor.
McDonnell fell through a burnt portion of the first floor into the basement. Terry said McDonnell was conscious and was treated by the EMS crews from Oxford and SCCEMS.
He was transported to Christiana Hospital.
The Chester County and State Fire Marshals investigated the incident.
Woods said that because of the old building things like that could happen; but again it was not on purpose.
The Lincolnian 