Beach House Blaze Investigation Continues

Oct. 29, 2007 — -- Authorities investigating an Ocean Isle, N.C., beach house blaze that killed seven college students early Sunday say they believe the fire was accidental and that it began on a deck, Debbie Smith, mayor of the beach town, said.

The fire charred the waterfront home, named Changing Channels, so badly that it only left part of the frame standing. It was the deadliest fire involving college students in the last seven years, according to a campus fire safety group.

Six of the students attended the University of South Carolina and the seventh was a Clemson University student, according to The Associated Press. Six students survived the fire.

The students, many of whom were from Delta Delta Delta Sorority and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, fought to escape as the fire made its way though the home, which one of the students' parents owned.

Investigators may not be able to officially identify the victims until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Nearby neighbors heard their cries for help echo outside the home.

"I have cold chills, and I can still hear the guy's voice hollering for help. And I just hope he made it out," said eyewitness Nell Blanton.

Amanda Palacio, whose roommate Lauren Mahon died in the fire, said the group headed to the house to relax before the weather cooled down too much to enjoy the beach.

"They were just going out to the beach to have a good time before it got cold," she said today on "Good Morning America."

Survivor Tripp Wylie escaped by jumping two stories into a canal. Palacio said she and others were relieved to learn that Wylie had survived the fire, but she was devastated about Mahon's death.

She said it would be difficult to return to school in light of the tragedy, though classes remain in session today.

"Honestly, with everything that's happened, it's going to be really hard to go back," she said.

Palacio described Mahon as a close friend whose future had endless promise.

"She's such a strong ambitious girl," Palacio said. "We all know she was going very far."

As Palacio deals with the devastation of losing a close friend, she has kept in close contact with Mahon's family.

"They are just a really strong family," she said. "Like any parent, I can imagine, they are just really shocked."

A Community Tries to Heal

Palacio is a small part of the University of South Carolina community that struggles to deal with the tragedy.

"These are young people in the prime of their life. They have so much to look forward to and it's just profoundly tragic," said University of South Carolina president Andrew Sorensen.

The beach fire has shed light on the dangers and occurrences of fires involving college students.

A campus fire safety group said there have been 114 campus-related fire deaths since 2000, including more than 20 in the last year.

"Over 80 percent of the fire fatalities have occurred off campus," said Ed Comeau, of Campus Firewatch. "It's important that they know what to do to protect themselves no matter where they are."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.