EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Crews battled a smoky fire Tuesday afternoon near the campus of East Stroudsburg University in Monroe County.
Smoke was pouring from the upper stories of the ESU Innovation Center on Independence Road in Smithfield Township when Newswatch 16 arrived after 1 p.m.
The center was built in 2012 and is used for administrative offices for the university.
The state tick lab does research there, and the building is also used as a collaborative working space.
The Marshalls Creek fire chief says the fire started in an air handler in the HVAC system on the roof, which left the roof with heavy smoke and water damage.
People who were inside working quickly made it out.
"As the fire was on the roof, it was found that one of our administrative assistants started the process of getting everyone out of the building. Everyone was evacuated safely, and the fire department had been called by 911, and they came immediately, so everything worked exactly as it should have," said ESU vice president Michael Sachs.
Officials with East Stroudsburg University say they're not sure when they will be allowed inside the building to see if there is any smoke and water damage to the offices.