Fire alarms caused the evacuation of the Oakland Center Thursday night after a ventilation system in one of the banquet rooms was turned off as workers were painting.

“The smoke detector picked up a particulate … that set off the fire alarm system,” said Oakland University Police Department Captain Mark Gordon.

The workers were working with lacquer and didn’t realize the ventilation system had shut off.

The rooms have been under construction all semester.

According to Facebook posts, the evacuation occurred sometime around 7:30 p.m.

Students returned to the building after it was checked out by Auburn Hills fire officials.