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A devastating fire at Valparaiso University was finally extinguished early Saturday, but questions remain about what happens next.

The fire, which destroyed the university’s Art and Psychology Building, 1003 Campus Drive, was extinguished around 2:30 a.m., Valparaiso Fire Department spokesperson Bob Schulte said Saturday, after burning into the night. The fire’s cause remains under investigation by the department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal, he said.

Firefighters were sent to the building at 4:30 p.m. Friday after receiving a call from someone who smelled smoke inside it, Schulte said. When they arrived, they made sure no one was inside and started concentrating their efforts on the northeast side of the building, where many arts supplies were kept, he said.

Students look on as firefighters battle a blaze at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)
Students look on as firefighters battle a blaze at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)

Around 45 minutes later, the fire continued to gather steam through a combination of chemicals such as acetone, acetylene and other flammable materials stored on the northeast side and oxygen flowing in through windows broken from the heat, Schulte said.

“Unfortunately, the increased fuel load got into the ceiling and burned through the roof, so once it got into the building’s attic, we deemed the building ‘unsafe’ and switched to fighting the fire from the outside only with aerial streams,” he said. “It was a very rapid fire progression.”

A VU spokesperson on Friday confirmed the building was ablaze and were working with local fire departments as they put the fire out. The university didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.

Firefighters battle a blaze from the ground and from a ladder truck at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)
Firefighters battle a blaze from the ground and from a ladder truck at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)

“As always, the safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority,” the spokesperson said in an email. “We would also like to express our gratitude to the Valparaiso Fire Department and Valparaiso Police Department.”

Neither students and staff nor firefighters were injured in the fire, Schulte said. The building, however, looks to be a “complete loss.”

Senior Natalie Vernon, of LaCrosse, Indiana, is comforted by her sister Ashley as their mother, Angela checks messages on her cell phone near the fire at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso,Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. Angela Vernon is chair of the Psychology Department at the university. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)
Senior Natalie Vernon, of LaCrosse, Indiana, is comforted by her sister Ashley as their mother, Angela checks messages on her cell phone near the fire at the Art-Psychology Building on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso,Indiana Friday April 29, 2022. Angela Vernon is chair of the Psychology Department at the university. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)

“There’s some roof in the front left, but pretty much only the walls are left standing,” he said.

The Valparaiso University Police and Valparaiso Police, as well as the Chesterton, Morgan Township, Union Township and Washington Township Fire Departments, assisted, as did the Valparaiso Water Department, Schulte said.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.