Blanding Tower evacuated after fire alarm pulled

Students rush back into Blanding Tower in Lexington, Ky., on Monday, Nov. 7, 2011. The fire alarm was set off by smoke from a pot in the kitchen basement around 1 a.m. Photo by Tessa Lighty

By Tessa Lighty

Residents of Blanding Tower were evacuated early Monday morning after a fire alarm was set off in the basement kitchen.

Firefighters received a call around 1 a.m. saying that there was a small fire in the kitchen after a pot of beans started to smoke, said Lexington fire Capt. Wade Miracle. He said that the fire was extinguished before they arrived.

Two girls were cooking beans in a pot on the stove when it started to smoke, said Mike Brevis from UK Housing. The girls got frightened and pulled a switch to set off the fire alarm, he said.

No one was injured.

Students waited outside in their pajamas for about a half an hour before they were allowed back inside the residence hall.

Blanding Tower’s capacity is 610 students, according to UK Housing’s website.