Fire investigators have completed their on-site work but have not determined the causes of fires that occurred Thursday in two buildings on the California State University, Sacramento, campus.
Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Friday evening that investigators will study information gathered from the scene. Cal Fire is charged with investigating fires in state buildings.
Fire officials cleared the fourth floor of Mariposa Hall, where a fire damaged a studio classroom, and turned it over to cleaning crews, who are expected to work through the weekend in hopes the area can reopen by Monday, said Kim Nava, CSUS spokeswoman. The fourth floor houses interior design and graphics classes.
Nava said university officials will announce by 6 p.m. Sunday whether classes will take place on the fourth floor Monday and, if not, they will advise students, faculty and staff of contingency plans.
At 2:48 p.m. Thursday, thick smoke was reported on the fifth floor of Mendocino Hall. When Sacramento Fire Department personnel arrived, they determined that a chair was on fire. The fire on the fourth floor of Mariposa Hall was reported about 3:15 p.m.
Both buildings were evacuated, and no injuries were reported in either fire.
About 15 minutes later, a third fire was reported in a garbage can outside of Eureka Hall.
Classes resumed Friday in Mendocino Hall but were canceled in Mariposa Hall. The first through third and fifth floors of Mariposa will reopen Monday.
For information about class schedule changes, go to www.csus.edu.
Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call campus police at (916) 278-6581.
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Call The Bee's Cathy Locke, (916) 321-5287.
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