Dollar bill starts fire

First-year Stanislas Stantchev, 20, was arrested and charged with first-degree arson Oct. 13.

UVM Police Services responded to an activated fire alarm at Wills Hall at 6:30 a.m. The fire started on the third floor and was caused intentionally, according to the police report.

Detective Skyler Genest reported that the fire had been set using trash from Stanchev’s kitchen and a plastic bag, with rubbing alcohol used as an accelerant. The fire was ignited by lighting a dollar bill.

The fire was put out by a Resident Adviser, junior Zachary Palladino, with a fire extinguisher, before the police arrived, according to the police report.

Two witnesses told police that Stanchev was significantly impaired by drugs and alcohol at the time, and he committed several other acts of vandalism, including throwing a trash can down the stairwell and ripping the exit sign off the wall on the third floor of Wills Hall.

When interviewed by the police, Stanchev initially denied being involved, but eventually admitted to drinking alcohol and taking 3 mg of what he called ‘benzos,’ short for the psychoactive drug benzodiazepine before starting the fire.

There were no reported injuries.