A spring cleaning bonfire party at Sigma Nu turned sour when Gorham police issued the president of Sigma Nu, Matthew Tuscano, a summons for failure to comply with conditions of an out-of-doors burning permit.
The incident happened last Thursday night when neighbors called Gorham Fire Department because the fraternity was burning a large bonfire in heavy rain. While Tuscano said Thursday that the fraternity had obtained a fire permit earlier that day, Gorham’s Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre said the materials burned that night were not the same as those approved for the permit.
“They were burning mattresses and plastics. Those were not present when we saw the piling [to be burned],” Lefebvre said. Earlier that day, Lefebvre said the fraternity’s pile was filled with wood products.
Lefebvre said there was no excuse for confusion about what could or could not be burned. “It was made clear to them when the permit was issued, and it was written on the permit,” he said. Lefebvre also said that the fire permit was not on the premises when the fire was burning, which was against the requirements.
“The person who signed it was not there,” he said. “They violated everything they were told.”
Lefebvre said neighbors called around 7:30 p.m.to report that a large fire was burning at the frat house.
Minutes later, Tuscano seemed annoyed that two fire trucks and several police cars were parked in front of the Sigma Nu house on School Street.
“We were just doing spring cleaning,” he said. “We had a fire permit. [The fire] wasn’t even that big. We figured it was a rainy day, why not clean out the garage.”
Tuscano said the frat was having a rush that night and had some people over. He said the brothers dug a large hole in the snow pack in their yard for the fire as a safety precaution.
Tuscano is scheduled to appear in Portland district court on June 1.
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