Investigators find cause of LA Tech fraternity house fire - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

By Victoria Shirley

RUSTON, La. (KNOE 8 News)- Six students are displaced after a fire leveled a Louisiana Tech fraternity house and sent three firefighters to the hospital. Investigators said Monday, the cause of the blaze is no longer a mystery.

An end of the quarter fraternity celebration took an unfortunate turn Saturday. "They were commemorating, the end of the school year by burning their old notes" said Eric Brazzel.

But the fire got out of hand and now only columns and rubble are left where the Pi Kappa Alpha house once stood. "There are six that actually do live in the house that lost everything but as a whole it's a huge blow." said John Chestnut, PKA fraternity president. Beginning in the chimney, the blaze quickly spread through the walls and ceiling. Eventually, collapsing the house with a back draft. "In lay mans terms, it created a 'woosh' noise, which made it seem like an explosion." explained Brazzel.

Now fire investigators are thinking there's another factor involved that turned the fraternity house into a pile of rubble in a matter of hours. "We do feel like there may be a structural component with the fireplace or chimney that may have let the fire extend into the voided area and the wall space around the fire place." said Brazzel.

Members say the fire is a huge loss for the organization. But fire investigator Eric Brazzel says this isn't the first fire for the Tech's Greek community. Brazzel says at least two other houses have had fire issues in recent memory. "It is a great concern for us as fire personnel, as well as the college for fraternity houses to have problems like this." said Brazzel. 

As for the fraternity, with the last of the flames extinguished, the president says they will rebuild and look forward. "After we got knocked down, we can only go up from here." said Chestnut.

The three fire fighters sent to the hospital Saturday were released later that night, suffering only bruises and a few scrapes. Investigators say no wrongdoing is suspected of the fraternity.