A fire that erupted early Monday afternoon in Humes Residence Hall has sent three people — a student and two staff members — to the UT Medical Center.

The fire broke out around 1:30 p.m. in a fifth-floor study lounge filling the entire floor with smoke. Capt. Brent Seymour, Knoxville Fire Department spokesman, said Humes Hall staff members attacked the flames with a fire extinguisher, and the KFD completely put out the fire when they arrived at 1:42 p.m.

Seymour said the three people transported to UT Medical are suffering from “smoke irritation.” He said he believes the two staff members sent to UT Medical were the ones who initially attacked the flames.

All Humes residents, except for the fifth floor, were allowed back in around 2:45 p.m. Seymour said the rest of the fifth floor will be allowed to return “before the night is over” following an investigation.

Seymour said he is not sure what caused the fire.