(GARDNER)–No one was seriously hurt when about 2,000 students, faculty and staff were safely evacuated after a three-alarm fire caused extensive damage to a portion of Mount Wachusett Community College’s main campus administration building, Thurs., May 2, at about 9:15 a.m. One person was treated and released for smoke inhalation. The fire, which originated in a professor’s office, is currently under investigation. Classes will be cancelled Thursday and Friday at the Gardner campus, and will be held as usual at all other campuses. It is expected that classes will resume on Monday. The Mount Wachusett Community College Foundation Annual Dinner will go an as scheduled this evening. Students who have personal items in the building can retrieve them after 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.

Fire fighters from Gardner, Templeton, Winchendon and Westminster brought the blaze under control while police officers from the same towns assisted Mount Wachusett Community College Campus Police in securing the area.

"We are deeply grateful to Chief Ronald Therrien and everyone who worked so hard to secure the safety of all of our students, faculty and staff," said Mount Wachusett Community College President Daniel M. Asquino.

"This comes at a particularly difficult time for the college," said Asquino "as we face the challenge of a $2.5 million deficit. It is our hope that the cost for repairs and clean-up will be covered by the Massachusetts Division of Capital Assessment and Management." Asquino has notified the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education of the fire.