University of North Florida police were called to put out a small accidental fire linked to a fraternity event near the Osprey Village dorms Monday morning, Nov. 17.

The fire was caused by a charcoal grill used by the Omega Psi Phi fraternity for an event the evening before, according to a police report. Police arrived at the scene after a student reported the fire using one of the nearby blue emergency phones at around 6:24 a.m. 

At the scene, the student told police he saw the fire spreading near the palm trees between lot 12, but also did not see anyone near the fire. 

UNF Police Chief Frank Mackesy confirmed that no arrests were made and said the fire was “most likely an accident.”

“It was charcoal from a grill, most likely as a result of a tailgate during homecoming. No threat to campus buildings or property,” Mackesy said in an email.

UNFPD determined that the fire was an accident and was able to put out the small fire with a fire extinguisher before any major damage occurred, according to the report. Mackesy said the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department also responded to make sure the fire was completely extinguished.

Neither UNF’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life nor the National Pan-Hellenic Council responded to Spinnaker’s request for comment by the time of publication. 

The police report stated that there was no footage from the area where the fire started.

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