By Lori Burling
The Associated Press

Investigators continued Tuesday to question students at Western Kentucky University who were in a dormitory when it caught fire over the weekend - leaving a female student severely burned.

"They're (investigators) still in her room," said LaEboni Taylor, a freshman from Russellville who works at the front desk of the dorm. "They've been questioning students who were in the building when the fire happened."

Officials have described the scene at the Bowling Green school as "suspicious." The injured student - Katie Autry, a freshman from Pellville - also had other minor abrasions and puncture wounds on her neck and face, according to an e-mail sent to university regents from Gary Ransdell, president of the university, that was obtained by the Associated Press.

Ransdell refused to comment on the incident.

Early Sunday, a fire broke out in Room 214 on the second floor of Hugh Poland Hall. Investigators have said the fire seemed to have been deliberately set.

"They've looked at all possibilities, whether the fire was set by someone else, by herself or was an accident. They didn't rule anything out," said Bob Skipper, spokesman for the university.

No one else was injured in the fire. Only 50 of the dorm's 310 residents were there at the time of the incident. Autry's roommate - Danica Jackson of Elizabethtown - was away. Jackson, who has been questioned by police, would not comment Tuesday.

Autry remains in critical condition in the burn unit at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. Autry is in a medically induced coma, which officials say is common with severely burned patients.

The actions and whereabouts of Autry in the hours before the fire remain unclear. Autry was unable to communicate with emergency officials after she was rescued by firefighters and was transferred to the Tennessee hospital, about 60 miles south of Bowling Green.

A dorm resident has said that Autry, who worked at a coffee shop on campus, attended a fraternity party at the Pi Kappa Alpha house late Saturday night. The resident dropped Autry off at her dorm shortly after midnight - about three hours before the fire.

Justin Perkins, president of the fraternity, could not confirm whether Autry attended the private party held in honor of the organization's graduating seniors.

To attend the party, a student's name had to appear on a guest list. Autry's name was not on the list, Perkins said.

"This party was small, there were only about 50 people. We let a few in that weren't on the list because it was under control. We didn't have any problems the whole night," Perkins said.

Western Kentucky's campus police are handling the investigation with assistance from Kentucky State Police. Investigators have questioned some members of the international fraternity, whose house sits on the school's campus.

"There were some police that stopped by our house the morning that (the fire) happened and asked some questions," Perkins said. "We're cooperating with the police 100 percent."

Perkins said alcohol was not being served at the house, and anyone under the age of 21 was not allowed to bring alcohol into the house.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the dormitory for the final week of school. An armed police officer is standing guard 24 hours a day and students must show an ID and sign in even if they are residents.

"I don't know if it's because of finals, but I've seen a lot of people packing their bags and moving out. A lot of people have been talking about not wanting to come back to this dorm next semester," Taylor said.

Taylor said there had been one other small fire this semester caused by a resident lighting a smoke bomb in the dorm and a burglary in recent months. No one was injured in either incident.