HAMPTON, Va. — Students, faculty and staff were evacuated from Palmer Hall, known as the Administration Building, on Hampton University's campus Monday afternoon after a fire.
Hampton University says everyone was safely evacuated and there were no injuries reported. Our News 3 reporter Kelsey Jones was at the scene and spoke with students.
"I just saw a whole bunch of smoke and I assumed it was a fire and once I walked past administration, I saw all the smoke coming out. I probably saw like 10 fire trucks." said Mylan Jordan, Hampton University Student.
A sea of first responders working to take out a 2-alarm fire that broke out just before 3:30 Monday afternoon at the administration building on Hampton University's campus.
This all happening during some student's midterm exams. Jordan a sophomore at the University says he was shocked.
"I just kept walking because I had my midterm, but I knew it was serious. I saw smoke coming out the top and the side" said Jordan.
Other students tell News 3 it was chaotic in the minutes after the fire started.
"I just heard all the trucks, and its truck after truck after truck. Then I get text messages, chats- it's crazy. I wouldn't say I'm shaken up, but it is crushing. There's a lot of history on that side of campus. I just got aware that it was the first black bank in the area so it's kind of crushing to see that happen" said CJ Johnson, Hampton University.
Our News 3 crew could not get close to the scene, but Johnson is one of many students who shared video with us of the fire. You can see firefighters hosing the roof of the admin building.
As of Monday night, we do not know what sparked this fire, but the university's spokesperson tells me that all staff and were evacuated from the building safely and there were no reported injuries.
"I've actually never seen a fire that big in person or been that close to it" said Johnson.
"We await an official update on the cause of the fire from the Hampton City Fire Department," the University said in a release.
This is an ongoing investigation.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
