Early this morning 2 RIT students were killed, and one badly burned, in a house fire. The location of the fire was all but around the corner from 195 Merriman, where I used to live.

Many of our students are just learning about the deaths. This is difficult to deal with on any day. Today, as the inauguration day of our new Institute President, makes it even stranger.

For a teacher this is heartbreaking. I went into my 9.00am class not knowing the identities of the victims. I knew that I had students living in that area and worried that they might have been involved. I watched the clock and the empty seats, waiting and hoping that they were just late to the final class on a Friday morning. Thankfully, they were just late.

Colleagues and students in Engineering and Communications were not so lucky.

It’s 11.30am and the names are now available from the D&C. I didn’t know any of these students, but that doesn’t make it any easier. My heart goes out to their families, friends, and teachers. There really are no good words.