The Triangle

Issue date: 6/2/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Diana Stow

Village Pizza will be closed for two weeks following an electric fire, May 30.

The University's Department of Public Safety responded to the emergency, along with the Philadelphia Police Department and the Fire Department. Village Pizza, California Pizza and the apartments above sustained damage. According to a Public Safety official present on the scene, the fire originated at Village Pizza, "in the wall" around 3.45 p.m. Residents were allowed back into the building at 4:19 p.m.

According to DPS, there were six evacuees and no one was injured in the incident. The cause of the alarm was a possible electrical fire in the walls between the 2nd and 3rd floors.

"The only people who are out right now are me, my roommate and our neighbors who live below us," said Nathan Hemerly, a senior majoring in biological sciences who resides in the affected building. "It's all of 3233 Powelton… including Village Pizza, which has been closed since yesterday (May 30) because they have the electricity off."

"I heard it was electrical," said Jerry Altus, the owner of Village Cleaners, which is also located next door to Village Pizza. "It started on the roof of their building, Village Pizza. I know they have had water damage problems before."

Information about the incident from the Philadelphia Fire Department is currently not available. The information of other University students affected by the incident is being kept confidential by DPS.

"There appears to be no damage," said Jason Levine, a junior majoring in finance and legal studies who lives at 3132 Powelton. "There is just the smell of smoke."

"Base was notified with the information and Security Officers proceeded on with normal duties," said Bernard Gollotti, senior vice president of DPS.

According to Hemerly, the fire was in the wall of his roommate's room, so the fire department had to pull out most of the wall on one side and knock out part of the ceiling.

There was more damage to that room due to the pieces of wet drywall that fell from its ceiling.

"The fire marshal was confident it was electrical and another guy thinks there was a short in the wiring but the circuit breaker failed," Hemerly said. "I was thanking all the firemen for coming out on such a hot day and they're all like, 'That's what we're here for.' Firemen are special people."

Hemerly said that if the fire department hadn't arrived on time, the whole building and the apartments above California Pizza might have been affected as well.

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