A false alarm signaled by Davis Hall’s fire alarm system Wednesday resulted in the evacuation of all students and personnel in the building.

At approximately 12:57 p.m., fire trucks and officials were summoned to the scene where about 50 students and faculty were waiting for NIU police to signal them to re-enter. On the scene were two ambulances, a pump truck and a snorkel.

Geography instructor Kenneth Bowden said the evacuation was slow and people took several minutes to make up their minds as to whether leaving was necessary.

“There was no panicking,” said Brent Emery, one of the evacuees.

The alarm allegedly was signaled from the fifth floor, where a few faculty offices and a geo-chemistry lab is located. Bowden said the lab is used to conduct research in water analysis.

Firefighter Robert Benson said the cause of the false alarm was unknown at the time, but said NIU electricians were working to fix the system.