Students evacuated Browning Hall on Tuesday evening after trash bins on the south side of the building caught on fire.

Resident assistant Brandon Kidd was the first one to find the fire.

"I was taking my trash to the trash chute and noticed that something smelled funny," Kidd said.

Kidd said that when he looked down the chute from the first floor, he noticed that the bins were on fire. He notified public safety and began to put on the fire using fire extinguishers.

Kidd told The Pacer that when he noticed the fire, no fire alarms had been sounded and the sprinkler system in the trash chute was not dispering water. Officials later said that the sprinklers went off.

Moments later the fire alarm sounded and resident assistants evacuated the building. Fire departments from Martin, Union City, Sharon and Dresden were enroute to the fire, but Dresden and Sharon were later told to turn back.

A university police officer was treated and released for smoke inhalation. Two residence hall student staff members also received precautionary treatment. No other injuries were reported.

The cafeteria in the UC was opened so that students could have some place to go.

As for the cause of the fire, University Relations Director Bud Grimes said that investigators believed it may have been due to a hot lightbulb that had been dropped in the trash chute.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Katie High, told The Pacer that students would be provided with cleaning supplies and baking soda, which would help remove the smell of smoke from the dorm rooms.

No estimate of damage was able to be given at the time of this article.

Browning Hall houses 434 residents and was first opened for business in 1971.