University of Virginia Library

Fire Ravages Peabody Hall;
Employee Held For Arson

By TIM WHEELER
and DAVE FOSTER

C/D Bob Humphrey

Local Firemen Extinguish Peabody Hall Fire Discovered By First-Year Students

A University employee is
being held in Charlottesville
City Jail on $10,000 bond in
connection with the fire which
broke out in Peabody Hall Jan.
20.

State arson investigator
Harold W. Glascock said Annie
L. White, a 32-year-old
Buildings and Grounds
employee, was arrested Jan. 24
and charged with arson.

First-year students John
Reuwer and Tom Croghan
smelled smoke as they passed
Peabody Hall shortly after
midnight, entered the
basement door and discovered
the fire.

Second Floor 'Aflame'

"The entire second floor
was aflame," said Mr. Reuwer.
"I've never seen anything like
it."

After alerting any possible
occupants, the pair left the
building and phoned in the
alarm from a Lawn room.

Buildings and Grounds
Director H.I. Taylor estimated
damage to the structure at
roughly $26,000. The main
and second floors suffered
extensive smoke damage,
according to Mr. Taylor, as
well as widespread plaster
damage from the water and
heat. The maple floor also was
heavily damaged, primarily
from the water.

The fire's only casualty was
67-year-old city volunteer chief
Lionel S. Key, who fell 15 feet
through the first-floor ceiling
during the fire-fighting effort.

"We had it under control
downstairs," explained Mr.
Key afterwards. "I went to the
head of the stairs to see if the
firemen needed anything, made
one step and down it came...I
went right through."

Fireman Bobby Rogers,
next to Chief Key at the time
of the accident, blamed the fall
on the heavy smoke and dark.
"He was on the second floor
beside me," related Mr.
Rodgers, "and I didn't even see
the hole, it was so dark."

Mr. Key was treated at
University Hospital for three
broken ribs and a possible
concussion, before being
released about 4:30 a.m.

"It was evidently an intense
fire on the first floor,"
said Fire Chief Taliaferro,
"and moved up to the second
floor and a little bit into the
attic. It could have been a lot
worse. Most of the damage is in
the hallway, really."

'Suspicious' Materials

Duplicating fluid, a highway
safety flare, and other "rather
suspicious" materials were
discovered in the building, Mr.
Taliaferro indicated. He said
the blaze apparently originated
in a first-floor closet.

Security Director Wade W.
Bromwell, however, said later,
"I don't think either one of
those items (the fluid and the
flare) had anything to do with
the fire."