AU fire possibly caused by electrical malfunction

Auburn, Al.
Officials are still assessing damages to Auburn University’s Hargis Hall after a Thursday night fire the Auburn Fire Division said may have been caused by an electrical issue.

The fire, which began in the building’s attic space, caused moderate fire and water damage and displaced 15 administrative personnel in the school’s graduate studies offices.

Mike Clardy, director of communications in Office of Communications and Marketing, said the employees who work in Hargis Hall will be moved temporarily to the Office of Information Technology building and then to the basement of Langdon Hall until the end of fall semester.

Clardy said the extent of the damages is still unknown.

AFD Chief Lee Lamar said firefighters received the call just before 6 p.m. and upon arrival saw fire and smoke coming from the steeple window.

“The building’s sprinkler system activated, which activated the fire alarm,” he said.

Crews were able to extinguish the fire, but water weight from the sprinkler systems caused the ceilings of at least two office spaces directly below the steeple to collapse, Lamar said. Everyone in the building at the time of the fire escaped without injury.

Lamar said that as of Friday morning the building was in control of the Auburn University Facilities Division.

“We are looking at some electrical components in there and believe that’s probably going to end up being our cause,” Lamar said.