By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

As news of a Western Kentucky University freshman's death from burns suffered in a dormitory fire spread across the state, college officials considered their schools' fire safety systems.

FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS

Sprinklers being added at Kentucky public colleges Eastern Kentucky University: two; $646,000. Kentucky State University: completely equipped. Morehead State University: four; $3 million Murray State: number not listed; $806,000 Northern Kentucky University: completely equipped. University of Kentucky: 10; $1.7 million. University of Louisville: seven; $245,000. Western Kentucky: four; $456,703. Source: Council on Postsecondary Education

Six of Kentucky's state universities are in the process of adding sprinkler systems to dormitories, fraternity houses and sorority houses at a cost of nearly $7 million.

That hefty price tag has made it difficult for private schools, including Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, to add the systems to two older dorms.

"It's a concern, and we'd get them if budget money became available," said Jeff Kordenbrock, director of facilities for Thomas More. "We've even looked for grants, but haven't been able to get the money. It's a very extensive and expensive project."

The school opened Murphy Hall this year, a suite-style residence hall that houses about 160 students. The new building was constructed with a sprinkler system throughout.

That system and those in the gymnasium and student center are tested by a licensed company twice a year.

The two other residence halls on campus - Howard/Marian Hall (built in 1968) and Ackerman Hall (1969) - do not have sprinkler systems. Those two buildings house roughly 200 students total.

The Western Kentucky fire early Sunday was contained to one room of the nine-story building, which had just been retrofitted with sprinklers.

Katie Autry, a WKU freshman from Pellville, died Wednesday from third-degree burns suffered in the fire set in her room at Hugh Poland Hall. The coroner has ruled out an accident or suicide, and police are searching for suspects. Autry had also suffered abrasions and puncture wounds on her neck and face.

About 50 other students were in the building at the time, but the fire did not spread.

"According to early reports I have, it was put out by a sprinkler," said Ken Meredith, spokesman for the state fire marshal's office. "Obviously, the systems are very, very helpful."

A Sept. 13, 1998, fire at Hester Hall at Murray State University killed one student and injured several others. That is also thought to have been arson. Investigators have said the Murray State fire was set in the hallway in early morning hours while students slept.

After the Murray State fire, state higher education officials were spurred to action.

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education has been working with the state colleges on a plan to install the systems in student residences that were built before sprinklers were required.

Of the eight state-supported schools, only two are completely equipped with sprinkler systems - Kentucky State University in Frankfort and Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights.

"Since we're such a young university, our dorms are 100 percent equipped with sprinklers," said Jeff Baker, technical systems/environmental safety coordinator for NKU.

Baker said the state fire marshal's office does an annual inspection of the buildings, while resident assistants in each dormitory conduct monthly inspections of rooms to check for candles or electrical hookups that could cause fires.

Baker said NKU had not had a dorm fire in his 10 years there.

The six colleges that need to add the sprinkler systems plan to have them installed between now and September 2004.

The individual project price tags range from $245,000 to equip seven Greek houses at the University of Louisville, to $3 million for halls at Morehead State University.

With the death at WKU, schools like NKU will try to learn from the tragedy.

"It makes us go back and put anything we learn from it into our lesson plans for training," said Baker. "We tell people - 'You don't think this can happen? Well, here it is.'"