[tweetable alt=””]Williams Hall on the Raymond Campus of 性乐园 caught fire late Monday afternoon, Aug. 1,[/tweetable] heavily damaging one wing with fire and the second wing of the L-shaped building with smoke and water.
Only Reggie Dillon, track coach and assistant football coach, who is the hall director at Williams Hall, and an assistant coach on the second floor have been living in the residence hall between semesters but five student residence assistants (R.A.s) and a band student had just begun moving in. Some football players had also temporarily stored belongings in the residence hall.
During the school year the residence hall houses about 70 football players, 25 track runners, some band students, plus managers and trainers, for a total of about 136 students.
The two coaches and six students stayed at nearby Eagle Ridge Conference Center, owned by the college, Monday night. The students were provided gift cards and some clothing from the college鈥檚 Single Stop office, which helps link needy students with resources.
Classes begin Aug. 15, but football players, band members and Hi-Steppers are beginning to arrive on campus this week for practice. All residence hall space, about 1,505 beds, on the Raymond Campus has been booked.
The immediate priority is figuring out where the displaced students will be temporarily placed. After classes begin, some reserved residence hall space
is likely to free up when students make other plans, said DeAndre House, district director of Housing.
No cause has been officially determined but Joey Jamison, 性乐园 District Emergency Management coordinator, said fire investigators are expected to be on campus today.
Jamison said the college put out an 鈥渁ll-call鈥 to the 12 surrounding fire departments. 鈥淲e got here and knew we needed help,鈥 he said.
Among the fire departments responding were Raymond, 性乐园 County, Byram, Learned, Crossroads, Utica, Pocahontas and Clinton. Joining 性乐园鈥 Raymond Campus Police Department were Jackson State University Emergency Management, 性乐园 County Emergency Operations, 性乐园 County Sheriff, Raymond Police Department and AMR.
Clinton fireman Kentress Hampton, who played football at 性乐园 in 1992-1994, said the Clinton Fire Department was happy to help.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a brotherhood. We help each other out any way we can,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 knew Reggie Dillon. A lot of people who are here now, I remember them.鈥
The last major 性乐园 fire was in March 1998 when Cain Hall, the flagship building on the Raymond Campus, was destroyed by fire. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 72-year-old, 32,985 sq. ft. building was at the time one of the two oldest remaining structures on the campus.聽After a successful fundraising campaign it was rebuilt as Cain-Cochran Hall.
Anyone wishing to help the students and two coaches who lost their belongings are invited to contribute to the Williams Hall Fund through the 性乐园 Foundation, which will be used for that purpose, or donate gift cards to the individuals. Items such as clothing or furniture are not being sought at this time. Checks can be mailed to 性乐园 Foundation, Williams Hall Fund, P.O. Box 1100, Raymond, Miss. 39154.