Westmont Magazine Fire Razes Building

A campus building erected for staff displaced by the 1970 Kerrwood Hall fire burned beyond repair February 26. The physical plant facility, which housed the college’s auto shop, paint shop and grounds equipment storage, caught on fire when a battery being charged in a nearby electric golf cart exploded.

As the blaze started shortly before 5 p.m., only one employee was in the area and no one suffered injuries.

Several staff members lost their offices, and 13 golf carts, used for transportation on campus, were destroyed.

Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, and it never threatened other buildings or surrounding areas of campus.

The crisis response team had to meet in a new location as their conference room was in the burning building. Losses totaled $900,000, much of which is covered by insurance.