Fire prompts McCollum Hall evacuation

Students evacuated Kansas University’s McCollum Residence Hall on Saturday night after a two-alarm fire was reported.

At 6:17 p.m., heavy smoke was reported on the ninth floor of the building’s west wing. Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical responded to the scene.

KU Police Sgt. Robert Linzer said the smoke dissipated quickly, no one was injured and no property damage occurred.

The fire started in a five-gallon trash can, Linzer said. Officials are still investigating whether the fire was accidental or intentional.

Students, who stood outside the building waiting to get back into their dorm rooms, said smoke filled the ninth floor and traveled down to the seventh floor.

“There was smoke all over,” KU freshman and ninth-floor resident Trevor Marshall said.