A fire broke out in some wooden huts adjacent to one of the buildings at the university yesterday evening, luckily injuring no-one and causing little damage.

Police and witnesses said that the fire broke out at about 5pm, and a thick cloud of black smoke quickly enveloped the area. People who were in the vicinity were escorted to safety and firemen were called in to extinguish the blaze.

The wooden huts, which held piles of paper and cartons, are situated next to the Bio Medical Sciences Building.

The fire quickly spread into the building and damaged the laboratory stores, which are situated on the first floor.

A large cloud of thick black smoke as high as three storeys covered much of the building as well as the surrounding area, including the engineering building and the IT building.

Witnesses told The Malta Independent that it is around that time that the last students usually leave the building.

A very bad smell similar to that of burning plastic filled the area and pieces of black material such as burnt paper filled the air, the witnesses added.

Members of the Fire Department rushed to the scene and by around 5.40pm the fire had been extinguished.

The damage caused by the fire was limited due to the swift intervention of the firemen, which ensured that the fire did not spread to the laboratories where dangerous chemicals are stored.

The police said that they are not ruling out arson.

Magistrate Miriam Haman appointed various experts to help her in the inquiry.