A fire broke out in Building G of the Scott Village Apartment Complex on the University of Nebraska at Omaha Pacific Campus around 3:12PM, Wednesday afternoon. Nearly fifty of the building's residents were displaced as a result of the fire. Careless disposal of smoking materials is currently listed as the cause of the fire. Nearly fifty Omaha Fire Department personnel worked to stop the blaze. Their efforts were hampered by strong winds.

While no students have been reported to be injured and all are accounted for, one firefighter was injured during the fire, and was treated at a nearby hospital for a leg injury. Campus officials are working with internal and external partners to find alternate housing for the forty eight displaced students. The University's Web site states that smoking is not permitted within the Scott Village Apartment Complex. Their Web site further states that all on-campus residence halls have building fire alarms and sprinkler systems. We will issue further information when it becomes available.

The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) has been documenting specific campus -elated fires deaths since Year 2000. Current and more detailed statistics, along with the definition of how we define "campus-related fires" are always posted on the Web site, along with a host of fire safety resources and tips for fire safety professionals as well as students in both universities and off-campus housing. One of the resources includes a daily and ongoing listing of other fire incidents in the higher education arena.

To learn more about CCFS and its programs, visit www.campusfiresafety.org.

For additional information:

Fire Fatality Statistics and Definition:
http://www.campusfiresafety.org/firefatalitystatistics

Continual e-news -campus fire & safety:
http://www.campusfiresafety.org/News

Campus Fire Safety Resources: http://www.campusfiresafety.org/resources