University police pointed fingers Friday at a handful of people connected to Lincoln's Sigma Nu fraternity, blaming them for 62 alleged fire code violations uncovered at the house since last weekend.
Sigma Nu's woes began Sunday morning when firefighters responded to an alarm at the fraternity house at 625 N. 16th St. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln official said Friday the response probably prevented hazing planned for the fraternity's initiation week.
The house was in disarray, police say, with wet leaves, broken bottles and other trash scattered everywhere, broken furniture blocking exits and entryways, and detergent and other household cleaners poured on the floors. Investigators say the plan was to make pledges clean up the mess.
Police have cited Ryan K. Anderson, 39, Coleman J. Lay, 19, and Kyle I. Regen, 19, on suspicion of 62 fire code violations. Anderson is president of the Sigma Nu Building Association's board of directors; Lay is house president; Regen is house manager.
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The fire code issues include smoke detector violations, blocked exits, faulty entrances and exits, and improper discharging of fire extinguishers, UNL police said in a news release.
Regen and fellow fraternity members Brett J. Willms, 20, and Matthew R. Slingwine, 22, also were accused of being inmates of a disorderly house.
The fraternity has been suspended by the university until the end of the spring 2014 semester, but that suspension could be extended.
Juan Franco, UNL's vice chancellor for student affairs, believes repercussions for the house could have been much worse, saying intervention spurred by the fire alarm may have stopped hazing.
The university has a strict policy prohibiting hazing.
"They seemed to be preparing to do some things," Franco said. "They trashed the house on purpose, apparently, and then they were going to ask the freshmen to come in and clean it up. Fortunately, before any of that happened, they tripped a fire alarm. And we don't have any evidence of hazing before that."
"(The) activities do not appear to meet the elements under the state statute of hazing," UNL police said. "The university and the fraternity may pursue further sanctions against the local chapter for such conduct."
But the prevention of hazing doesn't discount the fact that it was going to happen, Franco said.
"We are questioning what led them to think this was OK."
Reach Chris Heady at 402-473-7223 or cheady@journalstar.com. Reach Robby Korth at 402-473-2655 or rkorth@journalstar.com.
