Arson ruled cause of Purdue music hall fires

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Investigators ruled that two small fires in the basement of Purdue University's Elliott Hall of Music were intentionally set and were searching for a man seen running from the building.

The fire Monday night forced about 900 students from the building as they were taking a calculus test.

Campus Police Chief John Cox says the fires caused minor damage to a room in which band instruments are stored and around a bulletin board in a hallway. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blazes after they arrived about 8:30 p.m. Monday.