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A male resident of York Hall has been charged with two incidents of arson and could potentially be connected to even more, according to Sergeant Chris Gardiner of Public Safety.
Nikita Melnikov, 18, of Orono was found in connection to a scorching incident that occurred at 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16 and to one that occurred at 9:40 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24. Both incidents occurred in the elevator of Androscoggin Hall. A high flame lighter and a canister of ultra-butane fuel were confiscated from Melnikov.
These two incidents are only a small part to the issue of scorching and burnings that have been found across campus this semester. Since the beginning of the fall semester there have been 19 individual cases of arson in the dorms.
The incidents under investigation include scorch marks found on the walls and ceilings of elevators, bulletin boards, personal property found burned and trash cans found with fires in them, according to Gardner.
The incidents occurred primarily in York Hall and the halls of the Stewart quad. Melnikov’s involvement in the other situations is currently being investigated, however, Gardner stated that they do not believe the couch or trash can incidents are related.
As a result of these incidents, Public Safety and Residence Life and Programs have held mandatory meetings in the various dorms affected. At these meetings, resident assistants, officers and the various resident directors have been speaking to residents on the issues of fire safety and have encouraged students to report anything they may have seen.
In an e-mail sent to the residents of Androscoggin Hall, Barbara Smith, director of Residence Life, wrote, “We need your help. Please be aware of your own and others’ behaviors, and report any fire safety violations to your RA or RD, or directly to Public Safety.”
It was reports of this nature that led to charges being filed against Melnikov. According to Gardner, various students informed officers directly or anonymously through Campus Eyes, an online tip site that any student can access to report a crime.
The reason for these situations being taken so seriously is because of the possible repercussions of fire, according to Anne-Marie Reed, assistant director for Residence Life.
“[Students] can’t burn anything [in dorms],” Reed said. “There’s too much of a risk, and the safety of our residents is too vital.”
The resident’s manual has a set policy on fire safety, however, only one line references the starting of fires. The policy reads: “Arson is a felony under state law.” Despite its shortness, it is extremely important, according to Kenda Scheele, associate dean for students.
“The purpose of the policy is obviously the safety of the residents,” Scheele said. “The Residence Life staff takes fire safety very seriously.”
Scheele went on to say that situations in the past on other college campuses prove how dangerous fire can be.
“There have been some horrendous stories about fires,” Scheele said. “You get a lot of people in a small space, and you’re talking about horrific possibilities.”
Beyond the dangers of fire, there is also the cost of repairing the damaged property. According to Gordon Nelson, director of Property Management, when damage occurs to a dormitory, they bill the student responsible for it.
For the two incidents he was found in connection to, Melnikov has been charged the fee. However, when the person responsible is not known, they take it on a case-by-case basis.
“We try to be diplomatic on charges,” Nelson said. “It depends on the severity and depends on the location. We will not bill the building if we feel that it was something we would paint or fix anyhow.”
In the event that the damage caused by burning does need immediate attention due to unsightliness or safety, residents are billed $24 per hour, plus materials, by the people who paint the areas. For the incidents that have occurred thus far, no charges have been made beyond those billed to Melnikov.
The other 17 cases are still being investigated and further leads are being followed, but the main goal of Public Safety and Residence Life is not to catch people and punish them, but to stop incidents like this from occurring. Scheele summed it up with one classic phrase she said most know from their childhood.
“Don’t play with fire,” Scheele said. “This is one of the basic things we learned back in second grade. Just don’t do it.”
Bangor Daily News