This was just forwarded from a co-worker. James Ranier is the Fire Marshal
at Texas A&M in Health & Safety Dept. They are very proud of their
Homecoming celebration and its tradition, as are we. Please send
encouragement to James (we just met in Oct.) and be reminded that this could
happen at any of our institutions !
(Remember UNC a couple of years ago)

(James B. Ranier at <[log in to unmask]>)
****************************************************************************
**************
4 Texas students crushed to death while building bonfire

                  November 18, 1999
                  Web posted at: 8:01 AM EST (1301 GMT)

                  COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Four college students were
killed
                  and several others injured Thursday after logs they were
stacking for an
                  annual bonfire event collapsed and crushed them, officials
said.

                  Three students were still trapped under logs as crews
tried to free them.

                  As many as 50 Texas A&M university students were on top of
the stack of
                  logs when the accident happened early Thursday morning,
according to
                  university officials.

                  University spokesman Cynthia Lawson said that up to 16
students had been
                  transported to St. Joseph Regional Health Center,
according to the
                  Bryan-College Station Eagle newspaper.

                  At the hospital, spokesman Bill Hyer said the hospital was
expecting more
                  victims to be brought there.

                  Hyer said there were reports that more students were still
trapped in the
                  structure's rubble, but he refused to release further
details.

                  A bonfire is built each year by A&M students to show their
burning desire to
                  beat the University of Texas.

*****************************************************************
David Chaplin, CFPS
University Fire Inspector
Virginia Tech -- Environmental Health & Safety Services
459 Tech Center Drive,  Blacksburg,  VA   24061
Office:  540-231-2341 / 231-5985         FAX:  231-3944
http://www.ehss.vt.edu
*****************************************************************