Blue Devils inch past Terps, spark flames at home

There was no permit, no University sanction. And as a result, there may be no authorized bonfire after Thursday's game against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. But consequences were of no concern as students filtered out of dormitories and commons rooms into the cold night air of Clocktower Quadrangle following Saturday night's men's basketball game; instead, the screams and hugs of amazed jubilance turned into a focused lust for one thing alone-fire. As per tradition, the Mirecourt bench was the first to be sacrificed to the flames, over the futile protests of a lone policeman. "Let it burn, let it burn," cheered students well-trained in the art of collective mobilization on the grounds of Cameron. "I was just screaming my head off," said junior Therese Rohrbeck, referring to the men's basketball team's gasp-inducing turnaround. "It was intense, it was awesome, we just kicked a--." The defenseless York bench was the second to be pushed into the fire, which shot fireworks of flaming debris into the air as the bench became kindling. "This is what a bonfire should be," said sophomore Annie Way. "It's illegal and it's spontaneous and you don't sit around knowing it was all planned." But that spontaneity may have its costs. The Durham fire marshal told police Saturday night that the permit for Thursday's UNC game would be suspended, said Executive Vice President Tallman Trask. Trask will meet with city officials today. "We had a set of rules and we need to continue to abide by them," said Trask, adding, "I don't think anyone expected this to happen-it was quite a game." Durham Fire Chief Otis Cooper was unavailable for comment. Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Sue Wasiolek arrived at the fire bundled in a sweater and looked on as firefighters killed the last remaining flames. "I'll just say that I was thrilled with the game and disappointed with the bonfire," she said. The fire was also opposed by some students who felt the win did not merit a tradition usually reserved for UNC and tournament games. "Maryland does not deserve five benches," sophomore Brian Goldfarb said. "But this is great. This is why I love Duke." To those uninitiated to Duke's sacrificial rites, there were surprises. "Where are all the naked people?" wondered freshman Jonathan Drillings. "I thought there were supposed to be naked people." Bobby McCord, 13, and his 11-year-old brother Richard looked on in awe from the Sigma Chi fraternity bench. "I think it's cool," said Richard, who was visiting his sister Angie, a sophomore. "I am definitely gonna write about it in my journal when I get back to school." The crowd erupted early on when Krzyzewskiville head line monitor and Chronicle senior associate sports editor Norm Bradley, armed with his megaphone, granted tenters an all-night grace. But the sentiment was none too gracious as a team of firefighters descended on the blaze, taking aim with hoses until all that remained was a charred skeleton of benches and a pool of black water. "Go to hell, firefighters, go to hell," some cheered. "I think it sucks," said junior Dave Widders of the fire's forced death. "I'm bummed. It ruined the fun." Yet as Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" thundered from the Sigma Chi commons room, Way had a different take. "It's more interesting to have the firefighters come," she said. "It kind of validates things." Ambika Kumar and Lucy Stringer contributed to this story.