University boardroom, two offices gutted in night fire

A fire at the university's old humanities building shortly after 1 a.m. yesterday gutted a boardroom and two offices, university communications officer Patricia Camilleri said.

The block houses the arts and education departments, apart from the HSBC office and university radio. The cause of the fire in not yet known.

The HSBC branch had to close for business and the radio station went off air after the power supply was switched off as a precautionary measure. The blaze also reached the block's lift shaft.

No one was injured in the fire which apparently started in the boardroom, spilling into an adjacent corridor and into two offices belonging to lecturers Dominic Fenech and Joe Pirotta.

The alarm was raised by a security guard who informed the university authorities who in turn called the Civil Protection Department, which brought the fire under control.

However, some smouldering bits and pieces aided by the wind ignited and the blaze broke out anew. The Civil Protection personnel were called again at about 8 a.m. and stayed on till after 10 a.m. to ensure the area was safe.

Prof. Pirotta, who lectures on international relations, said he had not lost anything that was irreplaceable while Dr Fenech said he had salvaged the lecture notes, albeit singed at the edges but still clear enough to copy.

"I have lost a set of maps which I used as visual aids in my history lectures and which I have had for years," Dr Fenech said.

An inquiry, led by Magistrate Miriam Hayman, is to be held this morning.

The university's communications office said the examinations that were to be held in the Old Humanities Building yesterday morning were moved to other rooms. All examinations will continue as planned as from today, the office said.