Kent, Ravenna and Stow Fire Departments responded to reports of a fire on the first floor of Building B at College Towers Saturday afternoon.

“The cause of the fire is unknown and currently being investigated,” said Kent Fire Department Chief John Tosko.

Kent Police vehicles blocked off the entrances leading to the building’s parking lots to allow for fire trucks to come through.

Tosko said all 250 residents of Building B were evacuated and allowed back inside around 4 p.m. 

However, he warned to keep an eye out for any lingering signs of smoke in order to avoid inhalation.

Shanthan Peesari, a digital sciences graduate student, said he called 911 just before 3 p.m. after smelling smoke from his first floor apartment.

“I opened my door and the hallway was filled with smoke,” Peesara said. “It looked like it was coming out of the place opposite mine, across the way.”

Peesari said the individuals living in the apartment where the fire occurred weren’t home at the time. “I don’t even think they know all of this (happened),” he said.

“I opened my door to the hallway and all I saw was smoke,” Carney said. “It didn’t smell right, so we grabbed all the important stuff we needed and ran out of there.”

The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation, according to Tosko.

Contact Lydia Taylor at [email protected] and Alex Delaney-Gesing at [email protected].