Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Media Credit: POUYA DIANAT–THE DIAMONDBACK Richard Lang, a senior biology and environmental policy major, was David Ellis' roommate. He returned home to find the apartment consumed by flames and escaped with minor injuries. [Click to enlarge]

A 22-year old student died in a fire that ripped through his Knox Box apartment early yesterday morning. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, officials said, but had certain safety measures been in place, the death could have been prevented.

Firefighters found David Ellis, a senior African-American and American studies major, unconscious and not breathing in his bedroom of the basement apartment in the 7100 block of Rossburg Drive about 2:30 a.m., said Mark Brady, public information officer for Prince George's County Fire Department. Ellis was taken to Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, where he was pronounced dead.

Brady said if the apartment had sprinklers - which he called the most effective fire-fighting tool - the fire may have been extinguished in time to spare Ellis' life. He also said because the fire was blocking the only door in Ellis' apartment, he could not have gotten out through the door.

A friend said Ellis had turned off the smoke alarm in his apartment over the weekend because the stove continually caused the alarm to sound. Brady said whether the alarm was on at the time of the fire is still under investigation.

"It's awful," said Ellis' friend, who did not want to be identified. "All the Knox Boxes are dangerous - it was only a matter of time before it happened."

Seven other students live in the same Knox Box as Ellis and his roommate, senior biology and environmental science and policy major Richard Lang, Davis said. Lang sustained only minor injuries. The other apartments were left relatively unscathed, besides the windows the fire department broke through.

Lang was returning to the apartment about 2:30 a.m. when he noticed the fire, which started in the kitchen, Brady said. Lang tried to get into the apartment but the fire was too intense. He was treated for smoke inhalation but released from the hospital in the morning.

Brady said another problem was that the size of the windows in the apartment were not up to code. In order to be up to code, a fully-equipped fireman must be able to pass through the window easily.

District 2 councilman Bob Catlin said most Knox Box basement apartments are in violation of city code for not having large enough basement windows or sprinklers, and when city officials tried to crack down on enforcement, several landlords began appealing the citations. Code enforcement officials were not able to provide inspection records of the property on Rossburg Drive to The Diamondback.

Rob Davis, a member of the Landlord Council, said about 90 percent of Knox Boxes haven't yet been brought up to code. He said many landlords have not fixed the windows because they plan on knocking down the Knox Boxes to build high-rise apartments.

Ellis' landlord, Janet Firth, yelled at reporters and other bystanders on the scene to get off the property.

This is the second time in less than a year that fire has claimed the life of a College Park student. Last April, 22-year-old Michael Scrocca was killed in a fire that was ruled arson.

Steve and Janene Kerpelman, private investigators hired by the Scrocca family, came to the scene of yesterday's fire to investigate the possibility that the two fires were somehow related. Steve said he doubts the fires have anything in common.

"If I were to guess, I don't think someone is running around College Park starting fires," Steve said.

Brady was not able to comment on whether the investigation was being handled as an arson or as an accident. He would also not confirm or deny if accelerants or alcohol were factors.

The Scrocca family plans to hand out fliers at the basketball game against Virginia offering a reward for information about their son's death, just as they did at a football game in October.

"I know the pain the family is going through," said Tony Scrocca, Mike's father.

Ellis' neighbors were still in shock yesterday morning. Amelia Roberts, a neighbor of Ellis, was woken up by the commotion behind her house.

"I heard a young man hollering. He was pounding on the door and it woke me up. I couldn't understand what he was saying. Then I heard the fire trucks," Roberts said. "I just saw the different firemen going in; I saw their flashlights. I saw smoke and I saw the flames coming out of the basement window. Then I thought I saw the firemen take someone out. It was a tragedy."

Heather Arner, a senior hearing and speech sciences major, who lives on the second floor of the Knox Box Ellis lived in, said she was watching television with friends when their smoke alarm went off. They went outside and called 911.

"I mean, I'm still kind of in shock," Arner said. "I can't believe it happened and I hope it doesn't happen again."

Junior economics major Christina Santiago, a friend of Ellis, said Ellis was popular on the campus.

"He's a good person," Santiago said. "He had potential; he had a lot of potential to go far."

Contact reporter Will Skowronski at skowronskidbk@gmail.com.

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