River
Issue No. 46
www.riveronline.co.uk
March 18 - March 31 2011
The
First impressions to first jobs P10
The River heads to Anuvahood P20-21
KINGSTON UNIVERSITY AND SOUTH WEST LONDON NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
OLIVIA HEATH K0816568
DETECTIVES are investigating a suspected arson attack after a classroom fire caused chaos for thousands of students. The fire is believed to have been deliberately started when books were put under an internal phone and lit. The blaze caused black smoke to billow out of the classroom as panicked students rushed out in fear for their safety. First year student Ryan Rocastle, 19, said: “We were lucky to get out when we did. “We saw the smoke coming towards our direction because the fire was in the room next to us. “It looked like it was getting worse.” Security staff used fire extinguishers to keep the blaze under control until firefighters arrived on the second floor of the John Galsworthy building at the Penrhyn Road campus. History and international relations student, Rita Serghis, 20,
Evacuated students anxiously wait to be let back in
said: “This man came in holding a fire extinguisher and shouting ‘get out, get out, it’s a fire’.” A Kingston police spokeswoman confirmed that detectives were treating the incident on March 9 as arson but have so far made no arrests. She said: “Investigations are ongoing therefore we are unable to comment on the specifics.” A university health and safety officer also said he believed the fire was arson. It is possible to trace students who enter rooms across the university through the swipe cards they use to gain entry. From this officers
Natasha Roberts
may be able to use a process of elimination to work out who had entered the room that day. Staff and students were escorted from the building and courtyard to the main entrance of Penrhyn Road by security and fire marshals. Dave Englefield, watch manager at Surbiton fire station, said: “It was arson. Someone set fire to stuff. The security guards put it out but the police will have to investigate.” Primary English student, Charlotte Ward tweeted: “It’s pure stupidity to start a fire.” FULL STORY P5 COMMENT P11
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Students claim they were ‘lucky’ to get out as hundreds evacuated from uni building
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Police hunt student arsonist after uni blaze causes chaos
How getting wasted like a Rockstar can be good for your waist P14-15