{
  "id": "2026-04-02-columbia-university-broadway-residence-hall-arsons",
  "slug": "columbia-university-broadway-residence-hall-arsons-2026-04-02",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Columbia University",
    "shortName": "Columbia",
    "state": "NY",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Columbia Public Safety Clery Alert",
    "enrollment": 33000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2026-04-02",
    "endDate": "2026-04-03",
    "type": "arson",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Timely warning for garbage-can arsons at Broadway Residence Hall",
    "headlinePublic": "Timely warning for garbage-can arsons at Broadway Residence Hall",
    "summary": "Columbia Public Safety [issued Clery Crime Alert W08](https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/publicsafety.columbia.edu/files/content/W08_Clery_Arsons_BroadwayResidenceHall_2026_04_02.pdf) after FDNY determined three fires in fourth-floor common-bathroom garbage cans at Broadway Residence Hall on April 2 and April 3, 2026 were intentionally set.",
    "outcome": "No injuries or major damage reported. Under investigation by FDNY and CU Public Safety, report 26-001200."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "April 3, 2026 1:05 p.m. ET (Clery Crime Alert email header in the PDF)",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Clery Crime Alert\nArsons\n\nColumbia University Public Safety was informed of three arson incidents that occurred at the Broadway Residence Hall on the Morningside Campus. The FDNY\nhas recently determined these fires were intentionally set. The first incident occurred on April 2, 2026, at 2:45 AM. The second and third incidents occurred on\nApril 3, 2026, at 2:00 AM. All three incidents occurred inside garbage cans on the fourth floor in the common bathrooms. No injuries or major damage were\nreported. All three incidents are currently under investigation by the FDNY and CU Public Safety.\nIf you have any additional information about these incidents, please contact Investigator Darren Salinardi at 212-853-3361 and reference report number 26-\n001200.\n\nHarm Reduction Strategies:\nNo one is ever responsible for a crime committed against them. The responsibility lies entirely with the perpetrator. If something happens, we\nencourage you to report it. Reporting helps protect others and ensures you can access support and services. Report the incident to the\nDepartment of Public Safety at\nMorningside: 212-854-5555\nManhattanville: 212-853-3333\nMedical Center: 212-305-7979\nOften, where there is smoke, there is fire. When you see or smell smoke, call 911 and report the incident to CU Public Safety immediately,\nstating that you see or smell smoke/fire.\nDo not try to extinguish an uncontrolled fire yourself as this can often result in further injury.\nRemember, do not assume a fire alarm is a drill or test. All building alarm systems are tested as required by law, but these tests are announced in\nadvance. Treat every alarm as an emergency unless you have received advance notification stating otherwise.\nExit the building immediately. Feel doors before opening them to be sure that there is no fire danger on the other side. If you must enter a\nsmoke-filled room or hallway, cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth and crawl, keeping your head near the floor, to the nearest exit.\nDisclaimer: Clery Crime Alerts (Timely Warning Notifications) are distributed pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act. Columbia University is required to\nalert the campus community when certain crimes occur in our Clery Act defined campuses that represent a serious or continuous threat to the community. For\nadditional information, please visit our Clery Act website or email ps-compliance@columbia.edu",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "confidence": "high",
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/publicsafety.columbia.edu/files/content/W08_Clery_Arsons_BroadwayResidenceHall_2026_04_02.pdf",
      "sourceDescription": "Columbia Public Safety Clery Crime Alert PDF (W08 Apr 2-3 2026)",
      "annotations": [
        "PDF text layer ligatures and NBSPs normalized to ASCII, matching W05/W06 capture practice. sha256 d668ee46c411f0cc3de9e99216eacda0ab3dc19935421bf7e573c1a053fdff4c. Email chrome (Outlook From/Date) was not flattened into the flyer body.",
        "Distinct incident from 2024-11-08-columbia-university-arson-arson-549riversidedrive-2024-11-08: different date and Broadway Residence Hall bathrooms vs 549 Riverside Drive."
      ],
      "characterCount": 2402
    }
  ],
  "context": "Columbia Public Safety posts Clery Crime Alerts as PDFs. Official product: the [W08 arsons warning](https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/publicsafety.columbia.edu/files/content/W08_Clery_Arsons_BroadwayResidenceHall_2026_04_02.pdf) for April 2-3, 2026 at Broadway Residence Hall on the Morningside Campus. The [W07 harassments warning](https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/publicsafety.columbia.edu/files/content/W07_Clery_Harassments_116thStreetandBroadwayandWest116thStreetandBroadway_2026_03_20_2026_03_23.pdf) is a distinct series.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Official PDF names three timed bathroom garbage-can fires that FDNY later classed as arson, with no injuries or major damage."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Columbia Public Safety Clery Crime Alert PDF (W08 Apr 2-3 2026)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/publicsafety.columbia.edu/files/content/W08_Clery_Arsons_BroadwayResidenceHall_2026_04_02.pdf",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-09-20",
      "archiveUrl": null,
      "archiveNotes": "SPN not attempted after 500 flap"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "private-r1",
    "new-york",
    "columbia",
    "ivy",
    "arson",
    "clery"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-09-20",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-09-20",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}