OU Taking Donations for Students Displaced by Fire

Ohio University is accepting donations to assist students displaced by a weekend fire that heavily damaged a city block near campus. The Sunday morning blaze affected five buildings housing a number of businesses on Union Street, steps away from the campus gateway in Athens. Many of the students who lived in apartments above the businesses lost their belongings. Several dozen students were displaced. Eight emergency service personnel suffered minor injuries. All have been released from the hospital. Fire Chief Robert Rymer tells The Athens Messenger the fire may have originated at the rear of a clothing store that was in the middle of the five damaged buildings, but the cause is undetermined. Donations are being accepted at the student center on campus and online at www.ohio.edu/give.