Fire alarms went off at Drake’s Hubbell Dining Hall on Nov. 15 when many students were grabbing brunch, though no fire occurred.

The alarms were triggered after a hood in the grill station had closed unexpectedly, causing smoke to build up, according to a Drake Public Safety officer. No injuries were sustained. Students and staff waited outside for approximately 15 minutes before the scene was clear.

Junior Galen Seaton was about to grab lunch at the dining hall when he saw Hubbell covered in what looked like mist. The public safety officer states that that is where the smoke was primarily contained.

“[At first] no fire alarm is going off. I see the management over there trying to deal with the situation and they seem to be relatively on top of it, and then…alarm goes off,” Seaton said. “No major concern, everyone calmy shuffles out of the building – no major fire, no major fuss.”

Seaton said he heard Public Safety officers making their way to Hubbell at about the seven or eight minute mark, when people had started to shuffle away. 

The public safety officer said that the incident is not related to the weather and that they’re engaging in remedial measures, such as fans, to clear the smoke.

News Editor Mack Swenson contributed to reporting.