STAFF EDITORIAL: Learning from a tragedy

Yesterday's fatal dormitory fire at Seton Hall University holds lessons for preventing similar calamities at Penn. A fire alarm in a Penn dormitory is usually treated like the boy who cried wolf -- ignored by many, if not most of those who should take heed. But every so often an incident -- like last April's apartment-gutting blaze in Hamilton College House, or yesterday's Seton Hall fatalities -- reminds us that it is better to err on the side of caution. Far too often, in the high rises in particular, fire alarms go off without sufficient cause. And as a result, over time, students have started to ignore the harsh ringing emanating from their hallways in favor of extra sleep or other activities. That is precisely what happened at Seton Hall's Boland Hall, which had seen 18 alarms since the beginning of the school year. Most of the building's 640 residents went back to sleep after the alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. yesterday. Three died and 62 were injured as a result. That such a tragedy might take place at Penn is not inconceivable. Students stay in their rooms during fire alarms not out of disrespect for the University's rules. Rather, the fact that so many alarms prove to be the result of faulty wiring or overbaked cookies has left students with a dangerous nonchalance for a system designed to protect them. The University should ensure that all fire alarm systems are working optimally, so that false alarms become the exception rather than the rule. Over time, the perception of fire alarms as a nuisance rather than a warning would then change. But the responsibility for fire safety falls as much on the shoulders of the students themselves. We strongly encourage residents of campus dormitories to follow proper procedures during possible fire emergencies. The inconvenience is minimal, but the possible costs are incalculable. We only hope that such a loss is not required on this campus before we learn to stop playing with fire.