Towson University investigation yields all smoke, no fire

Towson University police officers were called late Tuesday to the Center for the Arts after a burning smell was reported.

Authorities discovered the smell was caused by two students “burning and aging a treasure map” for a class project.

“A fire is quite a frightening prospect in a building our size,” said Heather Sorensen, a director of the university’s Fine Arts and Communications school. “The smell was quite strong in [a main] stairway of the building.”

Additional faculty members reported the smell in an area of a building that has had a history of mild electrical problems, said Sorensen.

After investigating, a witness revealed to police the source of the smell.

–Owen DiDonna