Seton Hall Fire Survivors Speak

     After suffering terrible burns during the infamous 2000 Seton Hall fire, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos had a long road to recovery.  They were sent to St. Barnabas Medical Center, where they underwent treatment for their life threatening burns.  Unlike three of their classmates, who perished in this fire, they were able to return to school and graduate, after more than a year of recuperation.  Today, they speak with college students about the gravity of taking every fire alarm seriously, knowing multiple exits, and the perils of thinking that an alarm is "…just a drill." On September 19, 2012, Shawn and Alvaro were invited to share their story with our students, here at Montclair State University.

     During this presentation, Montclair State University students were given the opportunity to view a special screening of After the Fire: A True Story of Heroes and Cowards, a movie based on the book After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival by the New York Times best selling author Robin Gaby Fisher.  The movie details Shawn and Alvaro’s recovery, the brazen, apathetic nature of the individuals who set the fire, which took the lives of three of their classmates and forever altered the lives of many, including Shawn and Alvaro, and the police investigation that lead to the perpetrators’ convictions.  This event proved to be an excellent opportunity for Montclair State University students to speak with Shawn and Alvaro about their harrowing ordeal.  Montclair State University’s Department of Fire Safety would like to thank Shawn and Alvaro for coming to our University and sharing their experience with our students.