Quick Work by Two Logan Staff Members Limits Damage From Flash Fire on Logan's Chesterfield Campus

February 6, 2012

Coolness under fire is a positive characteristic to exhibit in times of emergencies. That was certainly the case for Logan custodians Mike Vancil and Bernard  Richardson on Saturday night, January 28, when an electrical fire started inside one of the laundry room dryers in the basement of Logan College of Chiropractic/University Programs’ campus in Chesterfield, Mo. Vancil, who was first to discover the fire, quickly poured the contents of a fire extinguisher onto the flames and called 9-1-1 to reach the Monarch Fire Protection District. Richardson, who was working on campus in a nearby building, responded to his colleague’s alarm and provided assistance before firefighters arrived to secure the scene. Both Vancil and Richardson were honored for their "above-and-beyond-duty" at the recent meeting of the Logan Board of Trustees.


Vancil and Richardson, with the assistance of a fire restoration company and other Logan staff, worked through the night and the next day to remove damaged computer equipment and water-saturated carpet as part of the clean-up. According to Logan officials, within days of the fire, nearby classrooms had been cleared of smoke, ductwork had been cleaned, temporary carpet had been installed and a new ceiling had been put into the laundry room. Permanent replacement carpet should be installed within four to six weeks.