Sophomore Rachel Hahn was subletting a house at 855 Figueroa Street for friends this summer when a fire caused by a ventilation fan spread through the bathroom and rafters.

Hahn awoke suddenly around 4 a.m. in late July to the sound of the smoke detector, but ignored it at first, used to the frequent false fire alarms of dormitory life. Slowly waking up, she thought the room seemed smoky, but still wasn’t sure if there was a fire. Getting out of bed, she noticed light coming from under the bathroom door.

“I pulled open the door and saw a giant red ball of flames on the bathroom ceiling,” said Hahn. “Smoke was everywhere.”

No one else was in the house at the time. Hahn grabbed her cell phone and ran out of the house, calling the fire department from the street.

“When I called 911, the operator didn’t seem to believe me: she kept asking me if I was sure there was a fire. She asked, ‘Did you see sparks?’ and I said, ‘Yes, there’s smoke everywhere, please hurry!'” Hahn said.

A police officer arrived first, by which point Hahn was panicking. A few minutes later, two fire trucks pulled up in front of the house.

“I watched a few fire fighters go into the house, and a couple minutes later heard one of them yell, ‘Everyone get in here!’ Flames started shooting out the window,” said Hahn.

Some neighbors eventually invited Hahn into their house while the fire fighters worked. Because the source of the fire was electrical, the power source for the entire house had to be shut off before it was safe enough for Hahn to re-enter the house about 45 minutes later.

Combustion of debris caught in the bathroom ventilation fan is thought to have caused the fire. The fan was turned off at the time.

“The fire fighters told me that vent fans should be cleaned every three months, because dust and dirt builds up in them,” said Hahn. “I’m not sure if the vent had been cleaned that recently.”

The fire burned a hole in the bathroom ceiling, charred the walls and rafters, and destroyed all the personal possessions in the room. Water and smoke damage ruined other house furnishings in a nearby bedroom, but most of the house and other possessions were unharmed. The house is being gutted and rebuilt, and will not be livable again until December. Senior Elizabeth Roberson lived in the Figueroa Street house last year and was planning on living there again this year.

“My housemate found new living arrangements for us this year from someone who was moving out of an apartment near campus,” said Roberson. “We were thinking of moving back [to Figueroa Street] second semester, but after moving all our things into the new place, I think we are leaning towards just staying there. Plus, rent is cheaper!”

“One of the girls who lived in the house has to get a new bed, because hers was completely destroyed by the smoke and water. Fortunately, that was the biggest damage to anyone’s personal possessions,” said Hahn. “Overall, everyone has been really helpful and positive in dealing with the fire and damages.”

Hahn stayed in friends’ houses in Walla Walla for the remainder of the summer.