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NIU vehicle burns in fire behind DuSable Hall

October 10, 2012

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, a university-owned vehicle caught fire behind DuSable Hall on the southwest part of the Northern Illinois University campus.

No injuries were reported.

At 9:59 a.m., NIU Department of Police and Public Safety dispatchers received a call reporting a fire to university vehicle in the parking lot adjacent to DuSable and Watson Halls.  The vehicle was a black 1998 Dodge Ram 3500 cargo van assigned to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences by NIU Transportation.

The DeKalb Fire Department responded to the call and arrived on scene at approximately 10:04 a.m. to find the front end of the vehicle completely engulfed in flames. Flames were extinguished at around 10:12 a.m., and DFD completely extinguished the fire by 10:22 a.m.

The vehicle was a total loss and was valued at approximately $4,000. Approximately $1,000 worth of property, largely computer technology, belonging to the college was inside
the van.

The vehicle was cleared from the scene by Lovett’s Towing at approximately 11:05 a.m. According to Bill Finucane, manager for Transportation Services, the van will likely be scrapped, and another vehicle will be assigned to the college in its place.