On March 16, 2014, a fire began in the kitchen of a private residence, near the University of North Dakota, at approximately 2:40 AM. 21 year old Matthew Heisler, a student at the University of North Dakota and a Lakeville native, was rescued from the house by his longtime friend, 20 year old Ryan Nelson. Ryan performed CPR on Matthew, while waiting for the arrival of emergency crews. According to reports, Matthew regained a pulse as a result of Ryan’s efforts.
Student Dies After Off-Campus Fire in North Dakota
Unfortunately, Matthew was unable to recover from the injuries he had sustained; he died on Tuesday morning, March 18, 2014. Matthew was an organ donor and his gift will help the lives of more than sixty people, according to his parents. The house did not have a residential sprinkler system. The fire was ruled to be accidental, being caused by unattended cooking on an electrical stove, according to fire officials. The Center for Campus Fire Safety extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Matthew Heisler, as well as to the University of North Dakota’s campus community, for their loss.
In a similar unattended cooking incident at Marist College, New York, on March 19, 2014, at approximately 7:09 PM, the use of sprinklers can be credited with saving lives. The fire was determined to be caused by unattended cooking on
the stove top. Fairview Firefighters were dispatched for an automatic alarm of fire at Marist College Townhouse “J”. While en route, Fairview personnel were updated that there was an active fire in the unit’s kitchen area. Firefighters arrived to find a smoke condition in the apartment with a sprinkler head activated. The fire, which started on the kitchen stove, was limited to the immediate area by the sprinkler system’s activation.
“This is an excellent example of how a sprinkler system in a building can save lives and property,” said Chief Christopher Maeder of the Fairview Fire District. Assisting at the scene were the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department, New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response. There were no injuries as a result of the Marist College fire. It is anticipated that the building will be able to be reoccupied in the immediate future.
For the full press release from Fairview Fire District, visit: www.campusfiresafety.org
“The Center for Campus Fire Safety reflects on this tragedy and also wants to remind everyone of the dangers of unattended cooking,” said Paul D. Martin, President of the Center for Campus Fire Safety.
According to data collected by The Center for Campus Fire Safety (The Center) cooking is the leading cause of fire in on and off-campus housing. In addition statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), state that cooking in the leading cause of all home fires. See the NFPA’s Fact Sheet for more information.
