Melissa K. Autry, a freshman from Pellville, Ky., died Wednesday night at Vanderbilt University

Hospital. Autry, 18, was burned in a fire in her room Sunday morning in Hugh Poland Hall.
"I am saddened tremendously to hear that Katie Autry has passed away as a result of the injuries she sustained in a fire," WKU President Gary Ransdell said.

"First of all, my wife Julie and I want to extend our sympathy and prayers to Katie's family and friends. Since hearing of this tragedy, and our visit to Poland Hall early Sunday morning, we have been praying for her. I know that everyone in the Western Kentucky University family joins us in this sentiment.

"Please rest assured that the WKU Police Department, in cooperation with the Kentucky State Police, the State Fire Marshal's Office, the Bowling Green Police Department, the Bowling Green Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is investigating the circumstances of the fire in Poland Hall vigorously. Chief Robert Deane, Dr. Gene Tice and Dean Howard Bailey have kept me informed of their progress, and I have every confidence that answers will be forthcoming soon.

"The best thing we can do at this point is to allow these agencies to continue their investigation in an expediant and thorough manner."

The Sunday morning fire was extinguished by the hall's sprinkler system and Autry was rescued byBowling Green firefighters. She was taken to the Medical Center at Bowling Green and transferred to Vanderbilt University Hospital, where she was admitted to the hospital's burn unit in critical condition.

In a briefing Wednesday, WKU Police Chief Robert Deane said investigators have determined the fire was set and was not an accident.

Deane said 16 investigators have sifted through evidence in the room and have interviewed more than 100 people. Autry suffered third-degree burns in the fire and incurred superficial puncture wounds to herneck and face, he said.

Anyone with information about the fire can call WKU Police at (270) 745-2548.
For more information, contact Bob Skipper at (270) 745-4295. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message toWKUNews@wku.edu.