Blaze at university leaves woman with severe burns
Police, Fire Marshal investigating as school launches internal probe
The University of Windsor is conducting a “full internal investigation” after a 34-year-old woman was left in critical condition Tuesday with severe burns in what the school is describing as an “incident” on campus. President Alan Wildeman provided few details in a written statement released Wednesday. Wildeman said a woman was severely injured by fire in an office on the fourth floor of the Odette School of Business shortly after noon on Tuesday. A faculty member was injured in an attempt to extinguish the fire, he added.
Both the Windsor police major crimes unit and Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal continue to investigate the incident. “There were many witnesses as the incident unfolded and the university has made additional counselling services available through Student Counselling Services and the university’s employee assistance program,” Wildeman said in his statement.
The university will be conducting “a full internal investigation of the incident, while seeking to respect the privacy of the individuals directly involved,” he said. Wildeman said there are no risks to public safety and classes resumed Wednesday morning. Windsor police Const. Andy Drouillard said police were called to the Odette School of Business, where they found the woman with severe burns and a 46-year-old man with minor injuries. Drouillard said the man and woman knew each other and no charges have been laid.
The woman was transferred Tuesday from Windsor Regional Hospital to Hamilton General Hospital’s burn unit.
Fourth-year business student Tess Roberts, 22, was studying at the Odette centre when she saw paramedics and police officers rush into the building and head upstairs. “A couple of girls came in and said they were watching as this lady was taken out on a stretcher,” she said. “I think it’s pretty traumatizing for a lot of people.” Roberts said the school’s common area was chaotic and there was no official announcement immediately informing students what had happened.
“I love the Odette School of Business but I’m absolutely disappointed in them,” she said. “They didn’t make a statement, they didn’t send out a statement until almost five hours after the fact. We’re all sitting here and there’s this awful smell on the third floor.” She said the school eventually sent an email offering counselling to students and faculty. But Roberts said students were confused about what had just transpired and “we didn’t even know why we needed counselling at that point.” “It’s a little frustrating to know something that serious has gone on, and your first instinct is not to notify the students that something has gone on, and evacuate the school,” Roberts said. Breanna Baker-Young, 20, was studying at the Odette school and figured someone had suffered a heart attack when she saw the paramedics.
“But then I saw them pushing a stretcher through the lobby. It was a woman and she was covered in a blanket and had some towels on her face.”
It’s a little frustrating to know something that serious has gone on, and your first instinct is not to notify the students.
John Coleman, the school’s director of public affairs and communication, said few details are being released while police investigate.
“It’s hard to say the (mood of ) campus in general,” Coleman said. “There was a great deal going on, so obviously, that does have an impact on people. That’s why the president addressed any concerns in his statement.”