Cigarette butt causes brush fire outside Robins Hall

A cigarette butt caused the brush fire that forced Robins Hall residents to evacuate on Monday night, said Beth Simonds, university police captain.

"The cigarette ignited a fire in the mulch pile between Robins Hall and the admissions office," Simonds said. "It had probably been smoldering in the mulch for a while, although there's no way to know for sure."

Typically with brush fires, Simonds said, the fire is limited to the top of the pile. In this instance, campus police officers dug down six to eight inches into the mulch pile after the initial flame was extinguished and it was still smoldering.

Seniors Elizabeth Webber and Lisa Harrison discovered the fire around 9:09 p.m. after leaving cheerleading practice, they said. They attempted to put the fire out by blowing, stomping and pouring water on it but were unsuccessful.

"By no means was this a big thing," Webber said. "It was mostly little embers, but they just wouldn't go out. At that point, we just called the police."

University police received the call at 9:13 p.m. Three officers arrived at the scene shortly thereafter, Webber said.

Harrison said the flame had been about three to four inches high, with embers in a circular shape underneath.

"I don't think it would have spread," Harrison said. "Maybe if there were a gust of wind, but at the time, I don't think anyone was in any danger."

Simonds said the responding officers had attempted to put the fire out with extinguishers but were unsuccessful. The Richmond Fire Department was dispatched at 9:19 p.m.

Harrison said she had heard alarms sound in Robins Hall around 9:25 p.m. and students had subsequently emerged from the building.

Simonds said the firefighters had initially checked and ruled out the fire being caused by the admissions office boiler room or an electrical line underground.

Firefighters extinguished the fire, she said, but the official police report gives no exact time. Calls to fire department officials were not returned.

By 10:30 p.m., the fire was extinguished and Robins Hall residents were permitted back inside, Simonds said.

Contact reporter Scott Himelein at scott.himelein@richmond.edu