Unfortunately, speculation often runs rampant after a significant event, particularly
one as emotional as the collapse of the A&M bonfire stack. It was for this reason, that the
University took the proactive step of appointing a special commission to review the collapse
and to report its findings after an extensive and exhaustive study of the collapse.
For example, following the collapse, a number of individuals came forward with
theories concerning why the collapse had occurred. The theorist included a former
construction science professor at A&M who stated that he had worked for thirteen years
on the bonfire and that important safety standards may have been ignored. Specifically:
- The stacks may have not been interlocked
- The tension on the guy lines might have been slackened
- Steel cables may not have been used on the bottom two tiers of logs to bind
the stacks together
A former member of the class of 1977 who had participated in the construction of the
bonfire while he was a student at A&M, remarked at a recent reunion of the Red Pots that he
was concerned that there were not enough “core logs” on the stack. These logs are used early
in the construction of the stack to provide stability. After the center pole is set, a ring of longs
is placed in the ground approximately five to eight feet deep. The logs are pulled tight with a
cable. A second group is constructed after the bottom ring reaches fifty-feet in diameter. The
two rings make the stack stay up longer and cause the entire structure to be more stable.
His comments were e-mailed to the Vice-President of Student Affairs and was one
of more than 2,000 documents related to collapse released in response to Open Records
Requests following the collapse.
A report published in The Houston Chronicle (12-4-99) stated that in 1986, the
University Safety and Health Officer suggested that the bonfire be reduced by ten feet
in height and in diameter and that students work during day light hours rather than at
night in order to “minimize the accident potential”. The Vice President for Student
Affairs, however, suggested maintaining the fifty-five foot height because there had
been no problems and no further action was taken on the recommendations.
Next » The Investigation
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