FSU Student Killed in Bowery Street Blaze: Three Other Students Displaced

On the morning of February 14, a fire swept through a Bowery Street rental house leaving one student dead and two others with minor injuries.

University President Dr. Jonathan Gibralter addressed the campus community by e-mail on February 15 stating that the believed identity of the student killed in the fire is Lateef Gazal, a senior business administration major from Bowie, MD.

Gibralter noted in this email that the identification of the victim is “tentative” and that the “official confirmation of his identity will be made by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.” As of press time, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has made no official announcement.

“We offer our deepest condolences to Lateef’s family and friends, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts and prayers and offer them support in these difficult days to come,” wrote Gibralter.

Gazal was a member of FSU’s chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, the professional business fraternity; the Marketing Association and the African Student Association, according to Gibralter.

In addition to Gazal, three other students lived in the rental home. Two were home at the time of the fire, but they were able to escape the blaze. One of which is believed to have escaped the blaze by jumping out a second story window while the other escaped through the front door say officials. The third student was not home at the time of the incident.

Student and Educational Services has worked with the three displaced students to provide them with housing on campus, and they are continuing to work to coordinate efforts to help the surviving victims of the fire. United Campus Ministries is also assisting with these efforts by serving as a clearinghouse.

The fire ripped through the rental house located on the 100th block of Bowery Street at 5:07 a.m. According to officials, the house, which is owned by Judy Knieriem, was declared a complete loss as the second floor collapsed into the first, said officials.

As of press time, no information has been released by investigators as to the cause of the fire. In addition, it is still under investigation as to whether fire alarms notified the residents of the fire.

Unfortunately, this is not the first incident of a fire related death to shake the FSU community. In December 2010, a fire in a main street apartment complex killed FSU students Evan Kullberg and Alyssa Salazar.
Counseling is available for any member of the FSU community who wishes it. An appointment can be made by calling the counseling center at 301-687-4234.

In addition, anyone interested in contributing to efforts to help the surviving victims of the fire and the family of Gazal may make financial contributions or contact Rev. Cindy Zirlott. Contributions can be made by check made out to United Campus Ministry at FSU, with “For Fire Victims” in the memo line and sent to United Campus Ministry, c/o Rev. Cindy Zirlott, Hitchins 308, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532.