U-M Arsonist Strikes Twice

The University's Administration Building and U-M Hospital were added yesterday to the list of buildings where arson has been committed during the past month. A rest room in the Administration Building and storage area in the U-M Hospital's blood bank were the latest targets. An unseen arsonist who spread an oily substance in the Administration Building's first-floor men's restroom and then tossed a match at 4:15 p.m. caused what U-M Fire Marshall Russell W. Downing describes as "an extensively damaging flash fire." Fiber board tile on the ceiling and light fixtures must be replaced and extensive cleaning of the plumbing fixtures is required, he pointed out. The fire was put out with two extinguishers manned by U-M Safety Director Fredrick E. Davids. He was called f rom his fifth-floor office in the Administration Building by a secretary in an office across the hall from the fire scène who heard a noise described as breaking glass - probably a light fixture. Downing noted that a ceiling air vent in the small room carried smoke into the adjoining U-M Regents Room, which was not occupied or damaged. Pólice Chief Walter Krasny and Fire Chief Arthur L. Stauch said officers from I their departments were able to salvage I several pieces of evidence at the scène. I They declined to identify the evidence I until it has been processed by laboratory technicians. Four hours after the Administration Building fire a second blaze was discovered on the fourth floor of University Hospital in the blood bank section. Firemen said a ball of gauze had been placed in a metal box and ignited. The blaze was in a storage bin and the arsonist apparently climbed over a wire enclosure to reach the area, firemen and pólice said. Only minor damage resulted, firemen said. Chief Krasny and Chief Stauch say a revised listing of arsons discovered in University buildings since Jan. 27 now shows 24 individual blazes. The officers said there has been some confusión on the number of fires because in several instances there was more than one blaze set in a single building.