Firefighters and resident assistants knocked on doors to rouse students from sleep and study early Monday morning after a small fire reportedly ignited part of the third floor at The Towers residence hall, 502 N. Frances St.

Police officers at the scene said they knew little about how the fire started or what happened before it was put out.

Several people said the fire originated on the third floor and firefighters knocked out several third-floor windows from the inner side of the West tower, according Ryan Mitchell, a University of Wisconsin freshman who lives in the East tower.

“We get fire drills all the time, but they were coming around saying this one was ‘real,'” Mitchell said, hooking his fingers around the word “real.”

While firefighters occupied the building and engine lights flashed, hundreds of students and other Towers residents wearing pajamas and winter coats huddled for about 20 minutes in the cold or across the street at The Statesider residence hall. Paramedics waited outside, but police said they had not heard of any injuries or seen anyone removed from the scene.

— Herald news staff