Local and campus authorities are investigating two small fires that started early Sunday morning at the Delta Kappa Epsilon house on West Campus.

The Ithaca Fire Department responded to the DKE house at 13 South Ave. at about 2 a.m. Sunday after the sprinkler system in the house was activated, according to IFD Lt. Scott Eaton.

The sprinkler system extinguished one fire and an occupant of the building extinguished the other fire before firefighters arrived, he said. The house was evacuated for several hours as authorities conducted a sweep of the scene for evidence.

The fires caused “minimal” damage to some property, but the building did not sustain any structural damage, according to Eaton. No one was injured.

Eaton, who is also a senior fire investigator, said that the fires are being investigated further because they started in separate locations in the building. Although Eaton said this is “not a normal occurrence,” he stopped short of calling the fires suspicious.

Eaton said that the fires occurred in two different rooms on two different floors of the house. He said he could not provide additional details about the locations or causes of the fires because the investigation was ongoing.

The IFD had completed its part of the investigation Sunday and the case had been handed over the law enforcement.

The Ithaca Police Department is now leading the investigation, with the assistance of the Cornell University Police Department.

Ithaca Police investigators could not be reached for comment Sunday afternoon. DKE President Michael Dalton '11 declined to comment because he had yet to speak to everyone involved in the incident and consult the fraternity’s alumni board.



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