Fire at Sigma Phi Epsilon house

Greenville Fire Department works to put out a fire in a Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house.

GREENVILLE, N.C.—   A fire the morning of Friday, Jan. 30 destroyed a house being leased by the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at East Carolina University.

Nine students living in the home were safely accounted for after the fire. One student was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital with burn injuries.

Greenville Fire Department was called to the Summit Street home around 6:15 a.m. As of 9:30 a.m., crews continued to work on site to suppress the fire.

ECU’s Student Affairs personnel, including counselors, remain at the scene assisting fraternity members. Fiona Baxter of Student Affairs said students would receive a housing voucher to be used in the residence halls. Staff will determine where space is available, and students should have housing by tonight, she said. The American Red Cross is also assisting students.

The two-story auxiliary fraternity house is located behind the main fraternity house at Fifth Street and Summit Street. The main fraternity house was not damaged.

Doug Branch of the Greenville Fire Department said the auxiliary building suffered “heavy fire damage.” An investigation crew is on-scene and will determine the origin of the fire once it is safe to proceed, he said.