Menu

Tragic graduation day: Weekend marks 25 years since UNC fraternity fire killed 5 students


This weekend's graduation day marks 25 years since a tragic fire in a UNC fraternity house killed five students. The painful date is etched in local memory: May 12, 1996. It was graduation day – and Mother's Day. A smoldering cigarette sent the Phi Gamma Delta house up in flames. “It rocked my soul,” said Bonnie Woodruff, who lost her son, Ben. (WRAL.com)

Related:

The top events in Kenan Stadium from the last 10 decades
As the centennial season of Kenan Stadium approaches, the sun has risen and set on a plethora of memorable events held inside its walls. Despite...

Live from Ireland: Festivities begin in Dublin
UNC leaders, student-athletes, fans, and alumni are arriving in Ireland ahead of the Tar Heels’ football season opener against Texas Christian University as part of...

UNC move-in photo from the past stirs up big emotions, especially for parents
August brings the annual ritual of college freshmen leaving home to move into college dorms. Digging through the archives, I was struck by this 1997...

To UNC's Freshmen — Trust Your Gut
You may or may not know your major. You may or may not stick with your original choice of study. A freshman at Stanford joined...

Tragic graduation day: Weekend marks 25 years since UNC fraternity fire killed 5 students