The cause of the fire that severely damaged a rental house, located at 956 Division St. March 24, is still a mystery, but the Charleston Fire Department has a theory.

Pat Goodwin, fire chief for the city of Charleston, said although the cause has yet to be officially determined, an old TV may have been the culprit.

The TV was resting on the covered porch along the house’s west side where the fire is believed to have originated.

Goodwin said TVs of that type contain a fresnel lens, which may have focused sunlight (similar to the way a magnifying glass would) upon a flammable material and caused the fire.

Goodwin said the Charleston Fire Department, in cooperation with Eastern’s physics department, plans to recreate the incident in order to test the theory’s potential at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Charleston Fire Station 2, weather permitting.

Connor Walsh, a political science and international studies major, is a former resident of the house.

Walsh said the Office of Student Affairs offered to provide assistance to him and Mikel Storm, a management information systems major and former resident, including living arrangements for the remainder of the semester.

Walsh said he and Storm declined most of the accommodations.

Eastern did replace the textbooks that were damaged in the blaze.

Walsh said the staff at the bookstore had his new textbooks already prepared for him when he arrived.

Walsh said Eastern’s willingness to help students in need gave him a new respect for the university.

“The whole situation opened my eyes to how much Eastern will help students,” Walsh said. “I have more respect for the university now.”

Jason Hardimon can be reached at 581-7942 or jrhardimon2@eiu.edu