Smith said the Aggie Bonfire could be exempt because volunteers build it and because the law typically applies to public buildings. The bonfire began as a trash pile in 1909 and in recent years has peaked around 55 feet. Smith emphasized that the board was not launching its own investigation. Meanwhile, university leaders met behind closed doors Monday with members of the College Station police and fire departments and the Texas Rangers to plan their next step in their investigation. Most questions surround the 100-foot center pole, the backbone of the bonfire, which is composed of two telephone poles spliced together with steel plates and wiring.
Some students say they heard the center pole snap just before the collapse.
Local officials found the center pole split in three places. Stephenson said the center pole was moved Tuesday to protect it from weather damage. The university also built a tent over the bonfire area to protect the ground from the elements. Smith said the board, which the Legislature created in 1937 after a New London school exploded because of a faulty heating system, may recommend changes to the law. This is the second time the state has looked at how laws apply to the Aggie Bonfire.