Lauren Johnson, a graduate student at the Korbel School of International Studies died on the first day of classes, Jan. 5, after being exposed to toxic levels of carbon monoxide in her off-campus apartment on the 2100 block of south Josephine Street.

A memorial service in Johnson’s honor was held on Friday at noon at the Korbel School where Johnson was studying in the human rights program.

Several of Johnson’s professors and her mother spoke at the service, which ended with a candlelight ceremony.

“I was always impressed by her spirit and dedication to human rights…We are profoundly shocked to have found that we lost her,” Micheline Ishay, one of Johnson’s professors said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Firefighters found Johnson, and her next door neighbor, a former DU student whose name has not been released, in their apartments when the neighbor called 911 after feeling the effects of the carbon monoxide.

Both women were transported to Porter Hospital, where Johnson died at 5:17 p.m. The other victim was hospitalized.

Though the investigation is still pending, firefighters believe the carbon monoxide leak may have been caused by a damaged flue cap in the apartment building’s boiler system.

The system that had recently been repaired after the flue cap was dislodged by high winds the week before, said Alex Paez, public information officer for the Denver Fire Department.

“We discovered carbon monoxide levels in the general area as high as 1500 parts per million… anything above 35 parts per million is hazardous to your health,” Paez said.

The apartment building was immediately evacuated.

All residents were allowed to return to their units later in the evening when carbon monoxide levels returned to normal.

According to Paez, it has not been determined whether there was negligence in the repair of the cap.

The building manager has repaired the cap and carbon monoxide detectors will be installed in the building.

University spokesman Jim Berscheidt said that there is no risk of a similar problem occurring in any DU owned building, on or off campus.

“The boilers in all DU buildings… are inspected daily. This is our standard operating procedure,” Berscheidt said.

The tragedy lends urgency to the Lofgren Family Memorial Act, proposed legislation sponsored by Rep. John Sopers (D-Dist. 34) which would require a carbon monoxide detector be installed in every new home and homes being put on the market.