THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411270079
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LAWRENCEVILLE LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
An explosion and fire destroyed one of the oldest buildings at Saint Paul's College.
Firefighters said the explosion occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Friday in the building's boiler room. No injuries were reported.
Students taking part in a masonry training program built the three-story brick structure about 100 years ago.
Saint Paul's was established in 1888 by an Episcopal priest for freed slaves and their children. It is a private, liberal arts college.
The building, known as the science annex, was used by the maintenance department and the Brunswick County Teachers' Credit Union. It also had storage space and two art classrooms.
The fire gutted the building and destroyed the credit union's computer equipment, said chemistry professor Robert L. Satcher.
Firefighters from Alberta, Broadnax, Lawrenceville, Emporia and South Hill were able to prevent the blaze from spreading to the nearby chemistry building, Brown Hall.
Most of the 700 students were away for the Thanksgiving holiday. by CNB