If you’ve ever lived in Jogues Hall, most likely you’ve experienced several fire alarms. The residence hall’s history of being notorious for fires continued Monday night when a smoke bomb was ignited on the second floor.
At 10:44 p.m. the security department was notified of the incident that occurred on the male side of the second floor. The Fairfield Fire Department responded to what has been referred to as an “ongoing prank” between two of the rooms in the residence hall.
Greg Gargiulo ’06, a first-floor resident, admitted to The Mirror throwing the smoke bomb into the second floor room, after the residents of that room had done the same thing to his room the prior night, but without incident.
“Basically it was an ongoing joke between the rooms. I didn’t expect the fire alarm to go off,” Gargiulo said. “It was a joke to the room that escalated much further.”
Allison Lebonitte, RHC of Jogues Hall, said everyone was lucky the situation wasn’t even worse.
“We should all be thankful that nothing more did happen and a real fire didn’t start,” Lebonitte said. “I think everyone can learn from his (Gargiulo’s) mistake. I mean we’re dealing with some 200 students. An incident like this puts many others’ lives at stake.”
The security department said the suspect, who was later identified by The Mirror as Gargiulo, was cooperative and immediately admitted to the incident. Gargiulo told The Mirror that he has been told to meet with the dean of students Wednesday for disciplinary action.
Most Jogues residents were displeased with the situation that caused the room’s rug to be burnt, a burnt hole in a pair of jeans, an immense amount of smoke and a putrid smell that continues to linger on the floor.
“There was smoke everywhere. I thought it was someone’s incense, but then the fire alarm started to go off,” said Wes White ’06, a second floor resident. “We were all mad because the alarm goes off almost every day.”
Lindsey Ryan ’06, a second floor resident on the female wing, was also not thrilled with the fire alarm that evicted the students for a half hour.
“I was pissed because I was dead asleep. My roommate had to make me get out of bed,” Ryan said. “We started smelling smoke when we were leaving. Upon coming back into the building, the door on the other side of the floor was closed off.”
The residents of the second floor male’s wing were forced out of their rooms until nearly midnight when all of the smoke was be cleared from the hallway.
“It was horrible. It smelt like rotten eggs,” said Mary Boehmer ’06, a third floor resident. “What was even worse were the boys having to stay in everyone else’s rooms. They came in my room and turned on Monday Night Football!”
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