Lightning Suspected as Cause of Napolitan Alumni House Fire

Release date: July 29, 2010

On July 29, 2010, at about 2 a.m., there was a small fire at the historic Franklin College Napolitan Alumni House.

Barbara Underwood, the house's caretaker, was alerted to the fire by the home's smoke detectors and exited the house safely and without incident. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, lightning is suspected.

Initial reports indicate there is smoke damage throughout the home, but the only area that was significantly damaged by fire and water is the Auld Family Suite on the second floor. The college's insurance agent, John Auld, was quickly on the scene and summoned a professional disaster mitigation team that is already at work. Franklin College officials will share more details about the extent of the damage and the anticipated time of repairs as that information becomes available.

Franklin College is thankful that no one was injured during the fire and the house and its contents can be fully repaired. The college is grateful to the Franklin Fire Department for working valiantly and effectively to protect the house and its contents while extinguishing the fire. The college's emergency management team immediately went into action to coordinate an institutional response to the fire.

If you have an immediate need for information, please contact Franklin College Vice President Lisa Fears either by email at lfears@franklincollege.edu or by calling 317-738-8150.

About the Napolitan Alumni House: The Napolitan Alumni House is a three-story brick house built circa 1875. The house is located at Henry and Jefferson streets in Franklin, just east of the college's main entrance.

The house was gifted to the college by Sandra (Mock) Napolitan '60 and her husband, James, a Franklin College trustee. Additional contributions from generous donors made renovations and restoration of the house possible. The house once served as a girls' dormitory and twice as the home of Franklin College presidents, Harold Richardson from 1949 to 1964 and Wesley Haines from 1965 to 1975. After 1975, it changed hands from the college to private ownership for the next 28 years. In 2003, a generous donation from the Napolitans returned the house to the college.

The house serves as a dedicated meeting space for alumni meetings as well as a residence for speakers and dignitaries visiting the campus. It also houses a collection of the college's archival material.

The Italianate style house was renovated and restored prior to a public open house on February 5, 2005. K Williams and SiG Productions in Washington, D.C. was the interior-design consultant.

Not only did the Napolitans donate the house, they also donated funds to renovate and restore The Mock Parlor. Additional donors who made renovation and restoration of the Napolitan Alumni House possible include: Foyer Former Trustee, the late Dr. Hugh K. Andrews '50, and his wife, Lynette; Master Suite Former Honorary Trustee, the late John Auld '50 and his wife, Nancy (White) Auld '53, Trustee John Auld Jr. '76 and his wife, Beth, Tricia (Auld) Zachidny '78; Guest Suite An anonymous gift in honor of the late E.J. Faught; Library Trustee Christine S. Fields '74 and her husband, Jack Borgerding; Powder Room H. Lee and Helen Hodgen; Sun Room Trustee William J. Receveur III '72, and his wife, Vicki, and The Receveur Family; Dining Room Dr. Elizabeth Richardson Ruben '56, Trustee Dr. Constance Richardson Van Valer '59; Parlor Trustee Dan King Thomasson; Gardens Kathleen Van Nuys; and Porch 2004-2005 Franklin College Alumni Council.