Mississippi State University is making moves to help those students affected by a Sunday night fire in Oak Hall.
Officials from the MSU Division of Student Affairs and the MSU Department of Housing and Residence Life met with impacted students Monday evening to discuss the situation and their options.
Mississippi State Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter said the university determined that 18 rooms across the first, second and third floors of Oak Hall received minor damage, and will be able to be inhabited again by noon Friday. In the meantime, the university is housing the students at the Starkville La Quinta Inn and Suites. The university has also identified 12 rooms in the hall with severe damage, which will take up to 30 days to repair. The students occupying those rooms have been given the option to remain at the La Quinta, or be relocated to other housing on campus.
“There are some of the impacted students who decided to stay with friends or family,” Salter said. “That group of students can obviously negotiate with the university about which of the two prior options fits them best, and we offered housing and residence life staff member contact information to let those students have those conversations.”
The impacted students were also given claims sheets by the university, should any of their belongings be damaged or destroyed. Students residing in the heavily damaged rooms were also given the opportunity to store their belongings elsewhere while repairs are underway.
“We obviously have staff members who will give the students assistance with filling out the forms,” Salter said. “We want to make sure that they are treated fairly in that process, and that they are aware of any relief that’s available to them.”
Salter said the financial impact of the incident was not yet known.
The fire broke out in the residence hall at approximately 9:55 p.m. Sunday, and was reportedly caused by an electric spark igniting bedding. The flames triggered the hall’s fire suppression system. When the Starkville Fire Department arrived on scene, the fire was already extinguished. No injures were reported in the incident. An investigation is ongoing.
Oak Hall is a co-residential residence hall capable of housing 382 students.