Damage Estimate in Community-College Fire Reaches $1-Million; Campus Remains Closed

A utility-tunnel fire that was allegedly set by a disturbed student caused more than $1-million in damage last week at Lorain County Community College, which remains closed today as crews work to clean up extensive smoke damage in six campus buildings. The 11,000-student college hopes to reopen Thursday, according to the Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer.

The fire, which also damaged the college’s electrical and communications grids, began about 5:30 last Wednesday underneath the business building and spread to storage areas used for furniture and paper. The campus was safely evacuated after officials activated several different alert systems — a siren, text messages, and announcements over a public-address system — but three firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation. A 24-year-old man with a criminal record, Drew Manns, was arrested last week in the case after police interviewed witnesses and reviewed surveillance-system images.

The Associated Press reported today that electrical and data service have been restored on the campus. A Cleveland television station, WEWS-TV, reported that college officials hope to have much of the campus open by Thursday. But the fitness center and a multipurpose building will remain closed until next week, and reopening the business building could take as long as a month.