Baldwin City issues proclamation remembering 1976 Kappa Sigma house fire

The Baldwin City Council on Aug. 18 adopted a proclamation honoring the 50th anniversary of the Aug. 29, 1976 Kappa Sigma fraternity house fire in Baldwin City, a tragedy that claimed five lives.

Mayor and council members invited two guests from Baker University to the podium. Dennis Domer, identified in the meeting as a Baker University staff member who delivered eulogies after the 1976 fire, described the packed United Methodist Church service and the emotional impact the loss had on the community. The proclamation named the five fraternity members lost in the fire as Mark Morse; Steven Hog; David Sloop; Stuart McCoy; and Theodore “Ted” Bailey and recognized the Baldwin City Fire Department’s response and alumni efforts to rebuild the fraternity house by May 1978.

The resolution notes a remembrance event on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, with a welcome reception at Collins House and a memorial service at Rice Auditorium on the Baker University campus. Dennis Domer and other guests asked the council to join in remembering the victims; the council observed a brief moment of silence and presented the proclamation to the guests.

The council framed the proclamation as an official expression of condolences, a recognition of first responders and Baker University, and an acknowledgment of the long-term community impact of the fire. The council did not take any legislative actions tied to the proclamation beyond adopting the resolution and hosting the presentation.