The cause of an early Sunday morning fire at 68 Stewart St. remains undetermined and the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office is still working with local authorities, officials said.
The state got involved at the request of the Athens Fire Department, Ohio Fire Marshal spokesman Matt Mullins said, adding that the state’s involvement is not inherently indicative of a strong suspicion of arson. He wouldn’t comment on the state of the ongoing investigation.
But Mullins did say state investigators have examined the property, though he stopped short of saying when. No one was injured in the fire, local officials have said.
Ohio University’s Director of External Relations Stephanie Filson said the school had offered the displaced female students rooms in Smith House on South Green, but they opted instead to stay at a local hotel, which their landlord, Pam Hines, “put them up in.”
Other amenities the university offered the students included 10 meals in the dining hall for this week as well as $50 in Bobcat Cash, a $100 Walmart gift card and on-campus parking passes.
“Our first responsibility would be to the students to make sure our Bobcats are safe,” Filson said.
Hines, who spoke with one of the tenants, said she is waiting for law enforcement to conclude its investigation before she will be able to assess the damage to her property. She added she has made numerous renovations and additions to the property in recent years, as early as 2001.
“I’ve never had anything like this at my properties,” Hines said.
Though the fire department said the property sustained $225,000 in damages, plus $5,000 to property inside, Hines said it is too early to know the complete impact of the fire.
“The department is trying to see if someone has done it or not because that’s what it looks like, but I’m not sure,” Hines said.
The house can be fixed, she said, but her main concern was for the safety of the students.
“That was my first concern, always, to take good care of my students,” Hines said. “I don’t care if my house burned down, it can be rebuilt again. But the students are different.”
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "State gets involved in Stewart fire case"
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