About 100 of Kansas University students were briefly evacuated from Allen Fieldhouse this afternoon after smoke filled the building.

The smoke was coming from a mobile concession stand food warmer, which was wheeled outside, according to observers. The smoke began pouring through the building about 4 p.m.

Plastic bags of potato chips in a plastic case, which were stored inside the food warmer, caught on fire when the food warmer was turned on to get ready for tonight’s game, said Capt. Schuyler Bailey, a KU police spokesman.

Dozens of students were in the building, waiting in line to get seats for tonight’s men’s basketball game against Kansas State University. Athletic department officials told them to leave. They were allowed back in later.

According to Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical and Bailey, the game would still go on as scheduled. They planned to air out the building by opening the doors and windows, officials said.

Kevin Romary, 6Sports director, who was reporting live from the fieldhouse at 6:25 p.m., said the building smelled like smoke.

For more on this story, tune in to 6News at 10 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband’s channel 6 and pick up a copy of Thursday’s Journal-World.