ONDAYNOVEMBER 19, 2001
1 SECTION • 12 PAGES
lommuter lots
opened to all
permit holders
arking, Traffic and
Transportation Services will
■tend parking privileges in
blue lots on the Texas A&M
lampus beginning Nov. 19.
j|ny valid TAMU permit holder
be able to park in blue
:s, excluding the Golf Course
lurking Lot, from 5:30 p.m.
through 6:00 a.m. Exceptions
i«iil be made for special events
listed at Reed Arena and ath
letic events hosted at Olsen
■eld and the Student
pecreation Center, where blue
I s may be reserved. For
ormation, contact PITS by
one at 862-PARK or in per-
in in 108 Koldus.
park dedicated
|;ln name of
Bonfire victim
■SAN ANTONIO (AP) - City
iicl state officials dedicated
Jnew park in northeast San
I itonio in the name of a
xas A&M bonfire victim.
Bryan McClain, a 19-year-
Id freshman from San
[ntonio, was one of 12 peo-
e who died in the bonfire
llapse.
The park, which cost
(250,000 to develop, offi-
opens today.
PUBLIC rvi
Average
number of daily
bus riders on
off-campus
routes
14,694
Aggies
advance to
sweet sixteen
* Women’s soccer
Ream defeats SMU 2-1
... And they
call it Aggie
Bonfire
• The future of Bonfire
rests in the hands of
A&M’s curent students
HIGH
58° F
LOW
41° F
FORECASTS COURTESY OF
www.weathermanted.com
University — Celebrating 125 Years
Volume 108 • Issue 61
Memorial
finalists
chosen
By Justin Smith
THE BATTALION
After a private luncheon held
for the families of the victims of
the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse,
the four final designs for the
Bonfire Memorial Competition
were unveiled to the public, three
of which were designed by Aggies.
In total, almost 200 designs
were submitted to the competition
from across the country. A nine-
member jury consisting of archi
tects, student representatives and
Richard West, father of Nathan
West, a student who was killed in
the collapse, determined the final
ists. The winning designers were
given $10,000 each in prize money
and another $10,000 to fund their
design project.
Two of the jurors, Professor
Jaan Holt, from the Virginia
Polytechnic Institute & State
University, and Professor Hans
Butzer, from the University of
Oklahoma, have previously
worked on memorials. Holt, the
Bonfire memorial jury chair.
See Memorial on page 10.
Three new
Bonfire
suits filed
HOUSTON (AP) — Three
more lawsuits have been filed
against Texas A&M University
because of the 1999 bonfire col
lapse in which 12 people died and
27 were injured.
The lawsuits filed Friday in fed
eral court in Galveston are on
behalf of the families of five people
who died and for three people who
were injured. The federal court in
Galveston covers College Station.
Texas A&M, University
President Dr. Ray M. Bowen and
four administrators are named in
all the lawsuits. One of the law
suits also names student bonfire
leaders, construction companies
and crane operators.
The lawsuits allege a “state-cre
ated danger” caused by A&M offi
cials who knew of the perils
involved in the traditional event but
See Lawsuits on page 10.
TEXAS A & M
College Station, Texas
www.thebatt.com
In remembrance
STUART V1LLANEUVA • THE BATTALION
Thomas Yantis, a junior management major and member of Corps of Cadets Squadron 17, lights a candle in remembrance
of the 12 Aggies killed when Bonfire collapsed in 1999. Students and family members held a candlelight vigil on the Polo fields
early Sunday morning to commemorate the anniversary of the collapse and honor the victims.
By Christina Hoffman
THE BATTALION
Two years after the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse,
students joined together Sunday in a spontaneous cere
mony in memory of the 12 Aggies killed Nov. 18, 1999.
More than 500 students, family members and
friends of those killed and injured gathered near the
1999 Bonfire site in the Polo Fields around 2 a.m. to
pay their respects.
Candles and a wreath were laid on the site where
the three-tiered, 55-foot structure fell at 2:42 a.m.,
sending those on the ground running and pinning the
27 Aggies injured and 12 killed beneath a pile of logs
that was not cleared until July 2000. The last body
was pulled from the Bonfire stack, which was near
completion when it fell, after the University held an
emotional, candlelit memorial service on Nov. 18,
1999.
Students surrounded the center arrangement, hold
ing candles, hugging and linking arms in silence.
At 2:42 a.m., Bonfire victim Timothy Kerlee Jr.’s
mother, Janice, called out the names of those who were
killed. Families and friends responded with “Here,”
after each name in a ceremony similar to Aggie
See Vigil on page 2.
A&M students burn off-campus bonfire
By BRANDIE LlFFICK
THE BATTALION
SPECIAL TO THE BATTALION
Off-campus bonfire participants work on the stack (left.) The stack burned Saturday night
(right) shortly before 9 p.m. on private property north of Crockett. More than 20 current and
former students spent four weekends constructing the bonfire.
Just before 9 p.m. Saturday, an off-cam
pus bonfire located on property at the inter
section of County Road 1720 and FM 2022
north of Crockett, Texas, was set ablaze,
according to Brett Lagrane, a cameraman
with KBTX News.
Lagrane, who was denied entry to the
area where the fire was burning, said he
heard “whoops” echo across the property as
the structure fell, approximately two hours
after it was lit.
Kevin Jackson, an organizer of the event
and a junior engineering major, said about
60 people watched the bonfire bum.
“This wasn’t done to go against the
University,” Jackson said. “It was done to
show our Aggie pride, and the pride we have
in our school. It was for us.”
Jackson said 20 to 30 current and former
Texas A&M students spent the last four
weekends constructing the stack. It meas
ured 40 feet in height and approximately 30
feet wide. The centerpole was about 48 feet
tall, and each log in the “lean-to” design
touched the ground.
“The centerpole was buried approximate
ly eight feet into the ground,” Jackson said.
“And three other poles were in the ground
three to four feet each to give it added stabil
ity.”
Jackson said drinking and horseplay were
strictly prohibited, and participants were
required to attend classes to teach them how
to properly cut and wire logs.
“There was no drinking,” Jackson said.
“Not while it was burning or during con
struction. We didn’t want anybody getting
hurt. The thought of safety is always there —
it’s always at the front of your mind.”
Observers were required to stand behind
an 80-foot perimeter around the burning
structure to avoid falling debris. Jackson said
everyone was required to stay the night on
the property.
“We had everyone hand over their keys so
that no one would leave after it was done
burning and fall asleep while driving home,”
Jackson said.
After the private unveiling of the final
Aggie Bonfire memorial designs Sunday,
A&M President Dr. Ray M. Bowen said an
off-campus bonfire was beyond the control
See Bonfire on page 10.