On the morning of Jan. 28, a fire broke out at the University Gardens apartment complex, leaving several apartment units damaged and destroyed.
Weeks before the fire incident, an inspection found that the complex did not have sufficient fire extinguishers in the units.
The owner of University Gardens claims that the fire extinguishers wouldn’t have made a difference. The fire started in an apartment with a working extinguisher, after all.
But the management at the University Gardens apartments should use this incident as motivation to redouble its efforts for the safety of its renters.
The residents of the apartment complex who have lost their belongings and pets will never be able to get them back. But the best response to incidents such as this fire is to react with increased diligence.
A sizeable portion of UNC’s student population lives off-campus, in houses and apartment complexes outside of the jurisdiction of the Department of Housing and Residential Education.
This also means that a large percentage of UNC’s student population must be especially sure to take their personal fire safety into their own hands.
Students who live off campus should acclimate themselves to the layout of their apartments and make sure they know where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them.
If a student doesn’t think a house or building has an extinguisher or a sufficient number of them, then he or she should tell the landlord or property manager and be certain that the improvements are made.
