Overheated refrigerator likely cause of weekend fire at KU’s Malott Hall

Kansas University officials said Tuesday that an overheated refrigerator likely caused a Saturday morning fire that damaged a medicinal chemistry lab at Malott Hall on campus.

“The point of origin for the fire appeared to be the condenser and condensation tray on the back of the refrigerator, according to investigators from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical and the KU Public Safety Office,” KU spokesman Jack Martin said in a statement. “No criminal activity is suspected.”

No one was injured, and damage was mostly confined to the lab, although water caused some damage to labs two floors below. Malott Hall was open for classes Monday, and KU officials have not yet determined a cost estimate for the damage, Martin said.