New Jersey College Investigating 3 Small Fires at Dorm

Administrators at Montclair State University in New Jersey are trying to reassure parents and students about fire safety after three small fires that forced evacuation of a large residence hall.

MSU Vice President Karen Pennington posted a letter on the school’s Web site Tuesday listing fire safety measures in place at the school’s dormitories and saying that the university police are investigating aggressively.

In the latest incident, a trash can was set afire in a utility room on the sixth floor of Freeman Hall early Monday.

Sprinklers put out the fire, and no one was injured, but about 300 students had to evacuate in the middle of the night.

There were two small fires on the same floor in late September.