CINCINNATI — Twelve University of Cincinnati students have been displaced after a fire on the second floor of Morgens Hall Thursday night, fire officials said.
The Cincinnati Fire Department said it responded to the residence hall at around 10:20 p.m. after receiving a fire alarm notification. When they got there, they were told smoke could be seen on the second floor, and flames were spotted in the window of one room.
As students evacuated their dorms, crews went to the second floor, which CFD Assistant Chief Matthew Flagler said was "pitch black" due to smoke.
Crews were able to quickly knock down the fire, which officials said was started by an artificial Christmas tree in the room. CFD said firefighters then checked all other rooms for any students and worked to remove smoke from the second floor and all floors above it.
In total, the fire caused around $30,000 worth of damage and displaced 12 students, who UC is helping find another place to stay. No one was injured.
"Any time you're in a big building like this with a lot of other people, you're gonna have situations where the fire alarm might go off ... and over time, you might be desensitized," Flagler said. "But this is a case where the fire alarm functioned how it should, it alerted the students that there was a fire, they evacuated ... when you hear those alarm sounds, please exit the building."
Flagler said UC also had environmental services check the hall to ensure it was safe.
