This past weekend has been a difficult one for students who live in Brandon Hall and for their families. A fire that broke out Saturday morning at 4 a.m. sent four McMaster students to hospital, more than 400 students had to be evacuated, and the building was badly damaged.

I am pleased to be able to report that one of the students that went to hospital was quickly treated and released, that two who had minor smoke inhalation have also been discharged, and that the fourth student is continuing to improve.

Any fire is upsetting and disruptive but what happened in Brandon Hall was not accidental nor was it the result of any mechanical failure. After his preliminary investigation the Ontario Fire Marshall has determined the fire was deliberately set and an arson investigation continues by Hamilton Police.

That any individual could set such a fire and put the lives of students at risk is unconscionable. Such disregard for the safety of our students crosses every boundary of human decency and trust. McMaster is a community and it is totally unacceptable when even one member of our community is put at risk.

As the police continue their work I encourage anyone who may have information that will help the investigation to contact Hamilton Police directly or to contact the McMaster security office. We will do everything we can to help officers find the person who committed such a despicable act.

It is too early to say how long it may be before Brandon Hall can be re-opened to students. The building is being checked by safety experts and professionals to assess the damage and to estimate how much time it will take to repair. We do know that this is a long-term task.

Our students and their families have been patient and we thank them for their understanding as we work as quickly as we can to understand the scope of the repairs and how long we will need to make alternate arrangements for students.

While we don't yet have all of the details, I assure you that all students will be provided with accommodation and that the details of that long-term plan will be forwarded to students as soon as they are confirmed.

The fire occurred in the middle of mid-term examinations and at a time when many students are facing deadlines for mid-term assignments. Arrangements will be made to ensure accommodations are in place for students who may have missed or felt unable to write an exam or who were unable to complete a mid-term assignment. The associate deans will work with students on an individual basis to determine the best plan to complete their course work. Counselling services are also available for students through the Centre for Student Development.

We are sure that students and their parents have many questions about what happens next. We will host a meeting for Brandon Hall students and parents Monday, October 20 at 7 p.m. The location details will be communicated as soon as they are available. We will have as much updated information as possible at that time and will continue to provide regular updates on the Daily News web site and through message boards at the Commons help desk and at the evacuation centre at Ivor Wynne.

In closing I would like to extend the University's sincerest appreciation to the Hamilton Fire Department and Hamilton Police as well as McMaster Security for their quick and professional action in helping students safely evacuate Brandon Hall and specifically to Hamilton firefighters for quickly extinguishing the fire. I would also like to thank the Red Cross and its volunteers for setting up and staffing the evacuation centre on campus.

Thank you again to our students for their understanding as we work together to recover from the fire and to restore our sense of safety and security at McMaster.

Yours sincerely,

Peter George

President and Vice-Chancellor