Fire damages new K-State dorm; sprinklers saved sleeping students from injury

Kansas State University's newest dormitory suffered nearly $9,000 in damage after a fire broke out in the early morning hours late last week.

Manhattan fire officials reported that the fire started around 4:40 a.m. Friday in a fourth-floor bedroom of Wefald Hall.

When fire officials arrived at the seven-story dormitory, the fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler system. Fire officials determined the fire was accidental, and apparently caused by a faulty fan.

No one was injured in the fire, but a worker cleaning up afterward slipped on a wet floor and was hurt.

Students were evacuated to nearby residence halls and the Kramer Dining Center but were allowed to return to Wefald by about 7:30 a.m.

Officials estimated a loss of about $3,500 to the contents and $5,000 to the building structure. Fire officials said additional damage occurred due to water running between floors.

The K-State campus newspaper reported that water soaked through the ceiling on the main floor's lobby, and on the fourth floor.

About 25 students were temporarily relocated as a result of the water damage. The tally on that damage has not yet been determined.

Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes, said the sprinkler system extinguished the fire quickly and reduced the risk of injury or death to students sleeping in their rooms.

Wefald Hall, is named for former K-State president Jon Wefald. The newest residence hall on campus, Wefald is 129,000 square feet and has 540 beds in primarily two-student rooms, with multiple single-use bathrooms on each floor.

Wefald, only about a year old, was the first residence hall to be built at K-State in more than 50 years.

This story was originally published March 5, 2018 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Fire damages new K-State dorm; sprinklers saved sleeping students from injury."