𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻𝙎𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙨 𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚

LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ — What began as a routine senior assembly at Linden High School quickly turned into a gripping lesson on survival, responsibility and resilience as two survivors of the deadly 2000 Seton Hall University dormitory fire shared their story with the Class of 2026 on Wednesday, May 6. Sponsored by the Linden Fire Department and organized with support from Christopher Rooney, Linden Fire Department Deputy Chief and Fire Official — himself a Seton Hall alumnus who once lived in Boland Hall — the program combined an emotional documentary screening with a candid discussion about fire safety, mental health, recovery and the lifelong consequences of reckless decisions. Survivors Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos recounted the terrifying moments when a fraternity prank sparked a fire inside Seton Hall’s freshman dormitory on Jan. 19, 2000, killing three students and injuring 58 others. More than two decades later, the pair now travel nationally sharing their experience with students, firefighters and burn survivors in an effort to promote fire prevention and inspire resilience after trauma. “This is way bigger than just fire safety,” Simons told students during the presentation. “It’s about safety in general. It’s about choices. It’s about life.” STORY CONTINUED: https://www.lindenps.org/article/2875059