Over the summer several Mississippi State students were left to cope with the losses of their possessions after a fire on April 26 destroyed an apartment building in the University Commons Apartment Complex off of Blackjack Road.
“All units in building A were lost to the fire,” Leah Massey, property manager of the University Commons said. “Six units in the next building also
sustained damages.”
Massey estimated the damages to be around one million dollars. The second building, which suffered mild damage, needed work varying from new carpeting to electrical wiring. Construction of the new building ended by the beginning of August.
Meteorology Professor Jeff Haby, a seven-year resident of the University Commons, lost everything in the fire.
“I was lucky that the furniture came with the apartment,” Haby said. “But my personal belongings and electrical equipment, such as my television and computer, were lost forever.”
According to Massey, many of the residents seem to have coped well and moved on.
“I quickly realized what I had to do in order to get my life back in order,” said Haby, who leased another apartment. “But the first two weeks after the
fire were the hardest. It was just an unexpected loss.”
The University Commons allowed the residents affected to be released their leases. The complex did not provide refunds for leasers affected by the fire.
“The fire was a good example of why renter’s insurance is important in a college town,”
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