Fire damages dorm

CASTLETON—Firefighters from Castleton and Poultney responded to a reported structure fire at Castleton University in the Adams dormitory building located off South St. on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 15.
Initial alarm activation in the building was followed up with 911 calls for an active fire on the fourth floor of the building. Upon their arrival, fire personnel found heavy smoke and fire in a room in a fourth-floor suite. They called for assistance, and the fire department from Poultney responded. The room sustained moderate fire and water damage. Damage was also done by smoke and water to the rest of the fourth floor. Damage was estimated at $10,000. The building was closed to students for a short amount of time during the investigation but students were allowed to return to the building a short time later. The suite was closed by the college until cleanup and maintenance can be done. No injuries were sustained at this fire.
Castleton Fire Chief Heath Guyette contacted the state police and requested an origin-and-cause investigation. Three detectives from the state police fire investigation unit and one investigator from the division of fire safety responded to the scene. Investigators have determined the fire’s cause to be accidental and due to a computer being placed onto a beanbag chair. The computer overheated, setting the beanbag on fire and the rest of the room followed. The beanbag was under a bunk bed, enabling quick fire spread. The tenants were not home at the time.