Students and faculty were abruptly forced to evacuate from the Humanities building after a fire alarm went off around 4 p.m.

The University Police Department stated that it was a false alarm after police scouted the area. There was also no signs of fire or smoke.

Support staff for the creative writing department, Barbara Eaton, explained that it was indeed a false alarm and also explained the procedures police take when deciding whether the area is a safe place for students to return.

“[Support staff] help people get out of the building in a timely fashion so if the alarm ends up being something like a fire or something of that nature that everybody’s out and away from harm,” Eaton said. “The police came through the building and checked everything out and there was no actual fire. Usually when [the] alarm goes off and then they [police] leave after they’ve made their report and reset the alarm.”

Philosophy major, Mikias Wondyfraw, was in the third-floor philosophy laboratory when he heard the alarm and had to be escorted by a member of support staff.

“I mean it’s not something I can’t resist [feeling shocked]” Wondyfraw said. “I thought, in fact, it was a bomb … but it’s good to prepare for it just in case.”

The fire alarm ended within 30 minutes, and students and faculty were able to return to their regular class sessions after police deemed it safe.