HAMPTON, Va. — The administration building at Hampton University caught on fire Monday afternoon, an official confirmed with 13News Now.
James Parker, a spokesperson for the university, said the fire happened at Palmer Hall, also known as the Administration Building. Parker said the building was evacuated and no one was hurt.
"The campus remains open for business as usual, until further notice," Parker said.
Hampton Fire & Rescue is currently working to put out the fire.
Photos shared with 13News Now show smoke from the two-alarm fire billowing from the windows of the building.
“First and foremost, we are thankful that everyone in the Administration Building, students, faculty, and staff are safe. Our students in particular were never in any danger," said University President Darrell K. Williams in a news release. "The Hampton University community would like to thank the Peninsula First responders and our own Hampton University Fire and Police Departments for their rapid and decisive action."
Hampton University student Israel Billeps was outside with her biology class when they noticed something was wrong.
"We’re outside just taking pictures and all of a sudden we see smoke," she said.
Billeps credits her teacher, "Dr. Dash," with getting some of the people inside the building out safely.
Billeps said he ran inside, while she called 911.
"We start hearing him yelling ‘Guys, guys!’ and so he goes in," she recalled. "We heard like a crack and so literally fire just starts coming out of the building."
According to Billeps and her teacher, they couldn't hear any fire alarms going off inside the building.
"He had to, like, vocally tell people to get out of the building. I think he saved a lot of lives today."
When we asked a Hampton University spokesperson if the fire alarms went off in the building, as well as the possible cause of the fire, they said “The fire remains under investigation with proper authorities. We cannot confirm the cause of the fire, and don't have any further comment at this time."
Mylan Jordan said he was just walking by the building when he saw the commotion.
"I was leaving my dorm to go take a midterm and just saw all the smoke."
Hampton University senior CJ Johnson said he lives nearby and heard dozens of fire and rescue teams respond.
"It was like truck, after truck, after truck," he said.
Johnson said he knows that building well and added that it was a shame to see it engulfed in flames.
"It’s crushing," he said. "There’s a lot of history on that side of campus."
The university said that as of Monday night, the fire was under control and first responders are working to determine a cause and how severe the damage was.
President Williams will hold an internal town hall with the university community Tuesday at noon, and Student Counseling Center staff will be available to provide support for anyone impacted by the fire.
