By Cathy Locke and Bill Lindelof
clocke@sacbee.com
Fire investigators have completed their on-site work but have not determined the causes of fires that occurred Thursday in two buildings on the California State University, Sacramento, campus.
Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Friday evening that investigators will study the information gathered from the scene.
Fire officials cleared the fourth floor of Mariposa Hall, where a fire damaged a studio classroom, and turned it over to cleaning crews, which are expected to work through the weekend in hopes the floor can reopen by Monday, said Kim Nava, CSUS spokeswoman. The fourth floor houses interior design and graphics classes.
Nava said university officials will announce by 6 p.m. Sunday whether classes will take place on the fourth floor Monday and, if not, they will advise students, faculty and staff of contingency plans.
CalFire is charged with investigation of fires in state buildings.
At 2:48 p.m. Thursday, thick smoke was reported on the fifth floor of Mendocino Hall. When Sacramento Fire Department personnel arrived, they determined that a chair was on fire. The second fire, on the fourth floor of Mariposa Hall, was reported about 3:15 p.m.
Both buildings were evacuated, and no injuries were reported from either fire. About 15 minutes later, a third fire was reported in a garbage can outside of Eureka Hall.
Classes resumed Friday in Mendocino Hall but were canceled in Mariposa Hall. Floors 1-3 and floor 5 of Mariposa will reopen Monday.
For information about the fires and class schedule changes, CSUS is updating its Facebook and Twitter pages, along with its homepage, http://www.csus.edu/. The university also provided a phone number for information regarding the fires, (916) 278-1600.
Anyone who has information about the fires is asked to call campus police at (916) 278-6581.
KCRA: Investigators look into two Sac State fires - Oct. 14, 2011
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