Officers from the City of Boston Inspectional Services Dept. on Wednesday afternoon ordered members of the MIT fraternity Phi Kappa Sigma to vacate their house at 530 Beacon St. by 6pm, issuing citations for rodent violations, egress issues and illegal construction.
As a result, Bill Lee, a member of the fraternity's Alumni Board, said the Skuffle party scheduled for Saturday night would be canceled. The biannual party raises money for the Leukemia Society of America.
MIT issued this statement:
"MIT shares the city's desire to assure safe housing for these students. All of the violations cited are easily corrected and the Institute will move swiftly to assist the fraternity in correcting them. Given the nature of the violations, MIT assumes the city will work with us to allow the students to move back to their home as soon as possible so as not to disrupt their studies."
"Other MIT fraternities have agreed to provide temporary housing for the 27 students who have been displaced."
Mr. Lee said a contractor and an exterminator had been hired to rectify the violations and hoped the members could move back in Friday. On Tuesday, a fraternity member suffered hand injuries when a theatrical device exploded in his hands while promoting the party in costume. The student was treated and released at Massachusetts General Hospital.
