SU offers reward in suspected arson case

WINCHESTER — Shenandoah University is offering a reward for anyone with information about a suspected arson at one of its dorms.

The fire — which was allegedly set at 12:45 a.m. Thursday — was confined to a small area near a bulletin board on the third floor of the Shenandoah’s University Inn, located at 800 Millwood Pike, near Bob Evans.

At the time, investigators said the cause still was under investigation, but in a Saturday electronic newsletter Shenandoah officials stated that it was arson and are offering a $1,000 reward for “information leading to the conviction of the person(s) responsible.”

No one was injured in the incident, though the dorm was evacuated for about an hour.

According to the SU newsletter, a University Inn resident quickly alerted the resident assistant on duty, who extinguished the fire even before the heat rose to a level to activate the sprinkler system.

“The University Inn recently held a fire drill, so all students recognized the alarm, knew what to do when it sounded, and most of the students were evacuated within three minutes,” the newsletter states.

All residents went to Hester Auditorium in Henkel Hall, where Residence Life and Department of Public Safety staff made sure everyone was safe.

Winchester Fire and Rescue units ventilated the building and then turned it back over to the university.

Damage to the dorm was estimated at about $100.

Anyone with information about the suspected arson is asked to provide information to studentlife@su.edu, call 540-665-4779, or stop by the Department of Public Safety office, located at the north end of Armstrong Hall on the main campus.

— Contact Melissa Boughton at mboughton@winchesterstar.com