Shaw University Dorm Closed After Fire, Leaving Students Displaced

Dimple Newsome Dorm will remain closed for repairs following a third-floor fire, forcing dozens of students to find alternative housing.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 5:47pm

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A fire broke out in a third-floor room of Shaw University's Dimple Newsome Dorm on Thursday evening, causing moderate damage and forcing the evacuation of the building. The university has announced the dorm will remain closed while assessments and necessary repairs are completed, leaving dozens of students displaced and scrambling to find alternative housing on short notice.

Why it matters

The fire at Shaw University's Dimple Newsome Dorm highlights ongoing issues with the university's aging infrastructure and raises concerns about fire safety and emergency preparedness on campus. The incident has disrupted the lives of dozens of students, many of whom live out of state and will have to travel home unexpectedly.

The details

The fire was reported around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday and was contained to a single room on the third floor. Firefighters believe the blaze started from a space heater connected to an extension cord. Students reported that the fire alarms were not working, and they had to go door-to-door to alert others in the building. A December 2025 fire safety inspection had identified several violations, including issues with the fire alarm system and standpipe system.

  • The fire was reported around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • A fire safety inspection in December 2025 had identified several violations in the Dimple Newsome Dorm.

The players

Shaw University

A private historically Black university located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Dimple Newsome Dorm

A residence hall at Shaw University that caught fire, forcing dozens of students to be displaced.

Kiyree Talley

A Shaw University student who described the scene when the fire broke out.

Cayden Brown

A freshman Shaw University student who speculated that a space heater may have caused the fire.

Zion Newton

A Shaw University student who questioned the university's handling of the incident and ongoing issues with the dorms.

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What they’re saying

“I open my door, there's smoke everywhere in the hallway. It stings.”

— Kiyree Talley, Shaw University student (WRAL)

“The rooms have no heat, so they are like freezing cold, so he probably had a heater and maybe left it on a little too long, and it caught on his sheet and it caught on the bed and everything.”

— Cayden Brown, Freshman Shaw University student (WRAL)

“Why wasn't this fixed? Why wasn't this handled? Who's over this?”

— Zion Newton, Shaw University student (WRAL)

What’s next

Shaw University has not provided a timeline for when the Dimple Newsome Dorm will reopen after repairs are completed. The university is currently working to arrange alternative housing accommodations for the displaced students.

The takeaway

The fire at Shaw University's Dimple Newsome Dorm underscores the need for the university to prioritize campus safety and infrastructure improvements to ensure the well-being of its students. The incident has disrupted the lives of dozens of students and raised questions about the university's emergency preparedness and communication with the student body.