Seton Hall fire; What they haven't told you...

[usqueadmortem]

I am an alumni of Seton Hall Univerity, THE arch-diocesan univeristy in New Jersey. Actually, I entered the year after the infamous fire that killed three in 1999. In fact, my freshman year I lived on the very floor where two of the three died.
The media is again covering the Seton Hall story, since one of the ones who set the fire is ready to be tried. But here is what the public may not know;

Fact number one: the were NO sprinklers installed in the dormitory (Boland Hall) when the fire occured. This was in 1999, so they were required by law.

Fact number two: even though there are laws against underage drinking, it was allowed in this freshman dorm. The RA’s did little to nothing to prevent underage students from drinking. When the fire was set, you can bet that the judgement of the students was just a bit impaired.

Fact number three: that very year, pranksters pulled the fire alarms almost every single night. Sometimes 4 or 5 times a night. In reality, the fire alarm was pulled hundreds of times that very year. So effectively, the fire warning system was a big joke.

Fact number four: of course the University faculty has been covering all this up. It was blatant negligence, but they have their lawyers trying to pin the blame on this student. Of course the student is culpable, but the faculty allowed (and still allows) their freshman students to run around and swing from the ceiling like monkeys. And all in the name of ‘student retention’.

Opinion number one: has the faculty of Seton Hall University done a little palm greasing to keep the lid on the above mentioned facts? It is likely.

Link to news story on fire

nj.com/setonhallfire/

 

[Robert_Bay]

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[Karin]

usqueadmortem:

I am an alumni of Seton Hall Univerity, THE arch-diocesan univeristy in New Jersey. Actually, I entered the year after the infamous fire that killed three in 1999. In fact, my freshman year I lived on the very floor where two of the three died.
The media is again covering the Seton Hall story, since one of the ones who set the fire is ready to be tried. But here is what the public may not know;

Fact number one: the were NO sprinklers installed in the dormitory (Boland Hall) when the fire occured. This was in 1999, so they were required by law.

If they were required by law as stated why did they not get fined as these types of places get inspected by the Fire Marshall at least once if not more per year!

usqueadmortem:

Fact number two: even though there are laws against underage drinking, it was allowed in this freshman dorm. The RA’s did little to nothing to prevent underage students from drinking. When the fire was set, you can bet that the judgement of the students was just a bit impaired.

It is done in every college dorm…that does not make underage drinking ok but put it in context…it wasnt like Seton was the only college with underage drinking.

usqueadmortem:

Fact number three: that very year, pranksters pulled the fire alarms almost every single night. Sometimes 4 or 5 times a night. In reality, the fire alarm was pulled hundreds of times that very year. So effectively, the fire warning system was a big joke.

Once again in NJ (as in other places i am sure) this is a criminal act. Why werent fines handed out, people arrested etc.

usqueadmortem:

Fact number four: of course the University faculty has been covering all this up. It was blatant negligence, but they have their lawyers trying to pin the blame on this student. Of course the student is culpable, but the faculty allowed (and still allows) their freshman students to run around and swing from the ceiling like monkeys. And all in the name of ‘student retention’.

Colleges all over the country cover things up (or do not report things to the police etc. but handle things internally)…heck they cover rapes up and other violent crimes…why becuase if parents knew how dangerous these places where they would not send their kids their!
Heck in all honesty none of this is new…I live in NJ not far from Seton and this stuff has been in the news on and off since the fire.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I am going to comment on only one part as Karin did very well on the rest.

usqueadmortem:

Fact number one: the were NO sprinklers installed in the dormitory (Boland Hall) when the fire occured. This was in 1999, so they were required by law.

As someone who has worked in the public safety field and in the fire service of multiple states and taken courses given by the National Fire Academy I think I can weigh in on this one.

This is a commonly held misconception by the general public.

It does not matter what year it is when determining if fire sprinklers must be installed in a building, what matters is when the building was built. As the building codes change over the years building that have already been built are exempt from the new codes unless they undergo a significant renovation.

That is becuase it is usually to costly to upgrade for every new code and can sometimes cause more harm than following the new codes.

As for people pulling the fire alarms, that is not the schools fault or responsibility, it is the fault of the people who pulled them and the people who know who pulled them but kept quiet.

 

[usqueadmortem]

Karin:

If they were required by law as stated why did they not get fined as these types of places get inspected by the Fire Marshall at least once if not more per year!

Karen, you are assuming too much by expecting that the Fire Marshall cared at that point. The inspections weren’t done.

Karin:
It is done in every college dorm…that does not make underage drinking ok but put it in context…it wasnt like Seton was the only college with underage drinking.

I am not concerned about other colleges. What I am concerned about is the amount of underage drinking (rather, guzzling) at Seton Hall, and that almost nothing was done about it. Moreover, it continues to go on.

But to give a reality check here, lets say that Seton Hall freshman at that time may have been the only ones smoking crack, snorting coke, and participating in orgies OUTSIDE of the dorm. I know Seton Hall like the back of my hand, and underage drinking was and is the tip of the iceburg. Nevertheless, underage drinking is still a crime.

Karin:
Colleges all over the country cover things up (or do not report things to the police etc. but handle things internally)…heck they cover rapes up and other violent crimes…why becuase if parents knew how dangerous these places where they would not send their kids their!
Heck in all honesty none of this is new…I live in NJ not far from Seton and this stuff has been in the news on and off since the fire.

I am not trying to say there is anything new about it. What I am trying to say is that at the oldest diocesan university in the US, there is a major cover up going on which possibly has links to the mob. Let me say this again, this is a DIOCESAN University. I.E. The Archbishop is RESPONSIBLE for it…

 

[anon50111284]

PROBLEM: News “story” does not match the news link provided.

ACTION: thread closed