More than 200 Townsville university students displaced by an early morning blaze slept in the dining room or in other students' rooms after a fire broke out in an accommodation room.
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Emergency services were called to the James Cook University campus in Douglas just before 1am on Thursday and two accommodation blocks, housing 220 students, were evacuated.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and said the room where the blaze began was extensively damaged, with smoke spreading to other parts of the accommodation blocks as well.
Fourteen people were assessed by paramedics for minor symptoms, mainly smoke inhalation, but none needed to go to hospital.
JCU chief of staff Vanessa Cannon said the university was assessing the extent of the damage and working on alternate accommodation for displaced students for the next few days.
"We’ve evacuated A and B block of the University Hall accommodation block as we investigate the extent of the damage and work to get power back on," she said in a statement.
"Overnight, students stayed in the dining area or other nearby accommodation blocks that were unaffected by the incident.
"Staff will stay on the ground until every affected student has a place to stay and knows where they stand in regards to what’s happening with their accommodation.
"We’re also very focused on providing as much support as they need during this time."
Fire investigators and forensic police officers examined the damaged buildings on Thursday and were working to determine the cause of the fire.
