A tragic loss

Last Saturday morning's fire on Harris Road was one of the darkest tragedies to affect Tufts in recent memory. The Daily expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of junior Wendy Carman, who died in the blaze.

Though nothing can temper the grief, Tufts is fundamentally a close-knit community, where support from friends, counselors, and chaplains is always available. It is through the help of others that we can find the strength to persevere.

It is possible that insufficient fireproofing and a lack of exit routes may have compounded this tragedy. Many students are forced into leasing arrangements for the first time due to dorm shortages on campus, and may not be familiar with local fire or safety regulations.

The Office of Off-Campus Housing needs to become much more diligent in identifying students who are planning to move off-campus and informing them about home safety inspections before they sign a lease.

In addition, the Office of Off-Campus must devote more attention to facilitating relationships between the University and area landlords, in order to ensure that the most stringent safety regulations are adhered to. When students' lives hang in the balance, no precaution is unnecessary.