Note from Steve: Thanks to Todd M. for finding this
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) -- Fire officials have ordered the removal of all upholstered furniture, debris and flammable objects from porches in neighborhoods with high student populations in an effort to put a damper on the outdoor furniture blazes that have become a tradition.
The move comes as the city, known as the couch-burning capital of college football, prepares for the West Virginia-Virginia Tech football game on Saturday.
"The reason for the order is based upon statistical fire data gathered following major rival football games or other sporting events," Morgantown Fire Chief Dave Fetty said Monday. "Data says there are particular areas within the city where we can expect to have illegal street fires."
Students celebrating victories by the Mountaineers have a long tradition of setting fires in the streets, often with cheap furniture dragged from their rental homes.
Morgantown led the nation in the number of intentional street fires between 1997 and 2003, with a total of 1,129 set.
The sold-out game will mark the final scheduled meeting between the two teams, which have played each year since 1973.
Virginia Tech, which enters the game ranked third nationally, defeated the Mountaineers, 19-13, in Blacksburg last year. This is the second season for the Hokies in the Atlantic Coast Conference and Virginia Tech is the defending ACC champion.
"Officers plan to go door to door posting written, typed-up orders on each house or putting them in mailboxes," Fetty said. "The notice states all indoor furniture that has been placed outside, along with other debris in specified areas, must be put elsewhere."
Residents have until Friday morning to remove the specified items. Those who refuse to comply with the order will receive a citation, and their furniture will be loaded into dump trucks and hauled away by city workers. Residents will be charged.
Fetty said officers are empowered to cite all occupants of the residence. They will be cited for failure to abate a fire hazard, which is a misdemeanor. Fines can range up to $1,000.
After a series of post-football game fires, WVU imposed a "zero tolerance" policy in 2003. It has disciplined and expelled students for off-campus activities that resulted in charges.
That's hilarious. One thing about tradition, especially if it involves hundreds of years of frat-boy induced behavior in a small town that is dominated by the college scene, it will be easy to quell, and these antics will be easily suppressed. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, what were we talking about? Oh, the bottom of the mystery that I have been harboring for lo these many days. Does your (VT) shirt say: Huskies, Baptists, Follies, Fairies? oh, crap the mascot name is in this post, but if I look it up, I lose this valuable comment. Anyway, the mystery is solved.......
Thank you, gods of the media...!
Hokies. That's really awesome.... because of the irony.
ReplyDeleteThey seriously had to put out that ordinance. WVU fans are a little fanatical.
ReplyDeleteA Hokie is supposed to be a castrated turkey. As a guy who was chased by an actual castrated turkey as a little kid, I can tell you you don't want to mess with one :-)
One of the things we've been citing for during the Neighborhood Enhancement Team is the presence any indoor furniture maintained outside a building. We've never had a problem with couch-burning in Florence-Firestone, it's just that having an old couch on the porch is unsightly, gets dirty, and attracts bugs.
ReplyDeleteInside furniture placed outside is all of these things, but the main reason for moving the furniture inside in Mrgantown is because of the rowdy crowds at the Virginia Tech - West Virginia games, who'll set anything on fire, depending on who wins the game.
ReplyDelete