20th anniversary of the Aggie bonfire tragedy

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Monday, November 18, 2019
Original report from the bonfire collapse
Original report from the bonfire collapse.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KTRK) -- The tradition of the Texas A&M bonfire burned for more than 90 years but that all changed on Nov. 18, 1999, when the bonfire structure collapsed, killing 11 students, one former student, and injuring 27 others.

It happened in the middle of the night, at 2:42 a.m.

Fifty-seven Aggies were working on construction of the bonfire when someone heard a crack, and it collapsed.

First responders from all over the county responded to the scene. The Aggie football team showed up at the scene to help move logs.

Here is a list of the fallen Aggies:

Miranda Denise Adams

Santa Fe, Texas

Sophomore

Biomedical Science Major

'02

Christopher D. Breen

Austin, Texas

Graduate

'96

Michael Stephen Ebanks

Carrollton, TX

Freshman

Aerospace Engineering Major

'03

Jeremy Richard Frampton

Turlock, CA

Senior

Psychology Major

'99

Company D-1

Jamie Lynn Hand

Henderson, TX

Freshman

Environmental Design Major

'03

Christopher Lee Heard

Houston, TX

Freshman

Pre Engineering Major

Company K-2

'03

Timothy Doran Kerlee, Jr

Bartlett, TN

Sophomore

Mechanical Engineering Major

Squadron 16

'03

Lucas John Kimmel

Corpus Christi, TX

Freshman

Biomed. Science Major

Company D-2

'03

Bryan A. McClain

San Antonio, TX

Freshman

Agriculture Major

Squadron 2

'02

Chad A. Powell

Keller, TX

Sophomore

Computer Engineering Major

'03

Jerry Don Self

Arlington, TX

Junior

Engineering Technology Major

Squadron 17

'01

Nathan Scott West

Bellaire, TX

Sophomore

Ocean Engineering Major

Company C-2

'02

Looking back at the Texas A&M Bonfire collapse 20 years later