Alpha Chi Rho 1975 Fire

At 7am on December 20th, 1975, a heat sensor system sounded the fire alarm at the Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity house at 77 Elm Street. The fire became too much for the fire department and it spread to a nearby house. 

The house was leveled from the fire which was later found to be caused by a faulty furnace.  

"The great Crow fire.  As I recall it was about 33 or so below zero that AM.  It was darned cold, didn't take long for the water to refreeze on the (still burning) house, or what was left of it." - Bill Barott

"Took about 20 minutes to go from a house to a charred pile" - Carl Partridge

"I was in the hospital recovering from a car crash. I was the house manager. I got a phone call, "hey Matt, remember that furnace service you wanted, we won't need it anymore." Hahaha.... An amazing event and a miracle no one was killed." - Matthew Horris 

"As a member of pledge class without a house ... we were given bricks to carry that said 12/20/75. Moving the bricks to one side of the parking lot ... oops that isn't where we said ... move the bricks over there ..." - Michael Gisondi

1976 yearbook photo with what's left of 77 Elm

"As a member of the 2nd pledge class in the new house, I can confirm the bricks continued to be painted 12/20/75 .. wonder which pledge class was the first after we ran out of bricks." - Keith Huylebroeck 

With strong alumni support a new house was built and dedicated on October 24th, 1976. 

AXP House July 2016

"The brick still resides in my pile of college memories. I remember pledging the ruins. Hell week in the garage. Pumping out the basement in the spring when the ice thawed. Oh the memories!" - Paul Haase