In a campuswide email, Jen Mullen, chief of staff at Colorado State University-Pueblo said law enforcement authorities have taken samples from the burn site, but that the incident remains an active criminal investigation.
According to the email, the university’s primary focus is to get each of the affected rooms dry so students can start returning.
“At this point, the university is planning a welcome back party for the residents. We had a pizza party for the students that have taken advantage of relocating to Belmont, 23 students, last night,” said Cora Zaletel, executive director of External Affairs.
“I know there has been a great deal of communication with the students and working with faculty to help them understand the inconvenience and even the emotional consequences of being displaced from their ‘homes’,” Zaletel said.
Displaced students are feeling the consequences of being displaced from their rooms for so long.
“It sucks, this week it has been really hard to keep up with my school work and has gotten me out of the flow because I do not have all of my books, and it is really stressful because this happened during midterms. You always hear about these things, but you never think it will happen to you,” said Morgan Hassan, a sophomore computer information systems major.
“When I saw the fire trucks I knew this wasn’t a drill, it really sucks to not be able to go back to the dorms and sleep in a bed but I’m glad everyone is safe and okay,” said Perry Smith, a sophomore accounting major.
“When the fire alarm went off, I left my room and went into the hall. There was no sign of a fire or sprinklers going off. So I was surprised when a third of the hall was soaked and we were not allowed to stay in our rooms,” said Daniel Wood, a senior mathematics major.
“Fortunately my room was not affected by the water. It’s too bad that this happened to Christian and the rest of the students on the first and second floors of Culebra. However, to me I feel as if I am on a little vacation,” Wood said.
Students will be allowed to return back to their rooms Thursday October 17 according to an email sent directly to the students affected.