Fire engulfs JMU building

Cause under investigation

Drew Wilson / senior photographer Firefighters try to contain flames on the roof of JMU's Financial Services Building last night.

A fire blazed through JMU's Financial Services Building late last night as students scattered about South Main Street in shock and awe.

At about 11:10 p.m., JMU Police Chief Lee Shifflett said he saw smoke billowing from Wing Four of the building, which runs parallel to Harrison Street, and called authorities.

At about 1:30 a.m., Harrisonburg Fire Chief Larry Shifflett said, "We've got every department in the city and the county either here or on standby."

Over 50 firefighters from the Harrisonburg Fire Department, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Bridgewater Fire Department, Grottoes Volunteer Fire & Rescue and Weyer's Cave Volunteer Fire Department worked together to control the third-alarm situation, which gathers the second tier of outlying companies to assist, according to firefighter Mark Payne.

Larry Shifflett said the fire began in the attic of Wing Four, but it first was difficult to determine when the fire department arrived because the smoke was so low to the ground. He also said he was uncertain of the cause of the fire, and it currently is under investigation.

"It could have been anything," he said.

As of 1:45 a.m., the fire departments still were working on the "hot spots," which Larry Shifflett defined as the areas that still were smoldering inside the building.

Nobody was injured in the fire, Larry Shifflett said.

Before midnight, streets were closed from the intersection of Bluestone Drive and South Main Street up to Port Republic Road.

"I was just going on a Wendy's run, and I walked down the road and was like, 'What's this?'" junior Brandon Call said.

Buffalo Wild Wings, which is located next door to JMU Financial Services, was evacuated at about 11:30 p.m.

"We've got smoke coming into our building," said Rob McKinney, a BW3 server.

JMU and Harrisonburg Police, as well as Campus Cadets, surrounded the Medical Arts Building, which is next to the Financial Services Building, to keep the crowds of students under control.

"I have no idea what's going on — I'm just here to help," said senior Chris Steidel, a Campus Cadet who was off duty at the time, but saw the smoke after leaving Carrier Library around 11:30 p.m.

Senior Ryan Salvatore, who lives off Harrison Street, said he was not worried about any smoke or fire damage to his house.

"When I first [got to the fire], I thought BW3s was burning down," Salvatore said. "But, now I'm not worried. It was just JMU's building."