UW student killed in Madison fire

Another fire killed a college student in Madison, Wis. Here's the link:

http://www.wisn.com/news/14633397/detail.html


Eve

eve said:

Another fire killed a college student in Madison, Wis. Here's the link:

http://www.wisn.com/news/14633397/detail.html



Eve

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This is just terrible Eve. I have a lot of ties to Madison, particularly U of W.

On a related note, last year or year before, my nephew lent his own ID to his 20 yo. roommate.
My nephew went out and his roommates went back to their CHicago apt. They fell asleep smoking cigs and burned the place down and 3 boys died in the fire. As if this wasn't devastating enough for my nephew, they reported HIM as one of the dead boys, because the 20 had my nephews ID on him.
Quite a shock to my sister that her son's boss ID'ed his body. It was really an emotional and horrible event all the way around.

That is scary; can you make sure they have smoke detectors in his house, and a planned escape route?

Are there smokers in the house with him? If there weren't, that would help.

Marthatex said:

That is scary; can you make sure they have smoke detectors in his house, and a planned escape route?

Are there smokers in the house with him? If there weren't, that would help.

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I have been lecturing him about all of the above. I told him I will send the money for extinguishers for every room. None smoke regularly but they smoke cigars sometimes and during parties, I'm sure there are cigs going. Lots of the girls who visit smoke. They are all honors students but they're still "invincible" college kids - who knows what goes on?

I'm hoping his landlord is scared enough to check out all his properties, he owns the whole block, I think. My son says he never comes over to fix anything.

Eve

eve said:

I have been lecturing him about all of the above. I told him I will send the money for extinguishers for every room. None smoke regularly but they smoke cigars sometimes and during parties, I'm sure there are cigs going. Lots of the girls who visit smoke. They are all honors students but they're still "invincible" college kids - who knows what goes on?


Eve

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Oh, that's a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on each floor. The owner is liable, I don't know about there but working smoke detectors are required here.

My son lives in a house but rents out rooms to others; he's only had one person who smoked but he had to smoke outside.

Young people unfortunately often don't realize how devastating a fire can be and the importance of fire prevention.

Probably this fire will make them more careful.

eve said:

II'm hoping his landlord is scared enough to check out all his properties, he owns the whole block, I think. My son says he never comes over to fix anything.

Eve

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http://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/

Madison has one of the BEST resources in the country for tenant's rights. Also, the City of Madison has some very stringent rules on repairs, entering the premises, etc - much stronger than the state rules.

That landlord better hope he's got a smoke detector policy on record. If not, BIG liability... HUGE!!

Ang50 said:

http://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/

Madison has one of the BEST resources in the country for tenant's rights. Also, the City of Madison has some very stringent rules on repairs, entering the premises, etc - much stronger than the state rules.

That landlord better hope he's got a smoke detector policy on record. If not, BIG liability... HUGE!!

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Hi Ang,

Thanks!

I just checked the Wis. State Journal today and my son's landlord is quoted saying the detectors worked when the kids rented the place in Aug. 2006. I believe he is asserting that any malfunction was their responsibility to report and that they hadn't and that their lease covers this. I read my son's lease a couple years ago but confess I do not remember the related provisions. I only know I was sufficiently upset by my son's house's general condition when visiting a month ago that I have been nagging him ever since to check the detectors and get fire extinguishers - my last nag session was a day before this fire. My son says the LL never comes over to check or fix anything or insect anything during the school year.

I am sure the landlords push the responsibility onto tenants but I am not sure how much of that will fly - ie how long between smoke detector inspections? Also, obviously, we know college students probably do not stay on top of this even though they should.

Eve

I hope the investigation is done properly in this case to rule out anything suspicious. It seems to me that Madison LE is very good at sweeping deaths under the rug on and around campus. (They would hate for their college town to get a 'bad rep' for having so many kids die on their watch!)

How sad. I will be praying for the families.

SeriouslySearching said:

I hope the investigation is done properly in this case to rule out anything suspicious. It seems to me that Madison LE is very good at sweeping deaths under the rug on and around campus. (They would hate for their college town to get a 'bad rep' for having so many kids die on their watch!)

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Really, SS?

Wow. Do tell, if you feel like sharing.

Well the police there certainly are trying to do something about their rep as the number one drinking school. I don't think the drinking patterns are changing much but it's certainly costly for the students and parents.

But what they are doing from my observation and experience is pretty much ignoring all the obvious drinking during the day and early evening - loud parties, beer bongs hanging out the windows, etc., all over campus every weekend, and lying in wait til 2 am to round up all the drunk minors walking home. Some of them will lose their driver's licenses for "walking drunk," too. But that's another thread.

Eve

eve said:

I am sure the landlords push the responsibility onto tenants but I am not sure how much of that will fly - ie how long between smoke detector inspections?
Eve

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I'm a WI landlord, and I believe that smoke detectors are a yearly inspection thing. August 2006 is obviously over a year ago. If they're in a yearly lease (most common in Madison) then they must have renewed in Aug 2007. Landlord should have tested then.

However, a lot of times tenants disable the smoke detectors, particularly during parties. The landlord will likely say this next.