IT'S business as usual at Darlington College this morning after a fire in the kitchens last night.

The college tweeted: "Following reports this evening of a fire at college, we can confirm that we will be open as usual tomorrow, with minimal disruption."

Dozens of firefighters were called to Darlington College at around 8pm on Monday night.

The Northern Echo:

It is understood the fire was confined to a kitchen area in the facility on Haughton Road.

The premises was locked down and smoke was forced out of a ventilation shaft, making it appear worse than it was.

The Northern Echo:

The aerial ladder platform at the scene. Photo: Matt Westcott

"There was a fire in either a kitchen or a canteen. We have contained that and are now looking around that site to make sure it hasn't spread, through a false ceiling those type of things," said Andrew Allison, community safety manager with Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue at the scene.

"We have thermal image cameras in use and breathing apparatus teams in there checking that out. As far as we know at the minute it has been confined to that area.

"We haven't had any reports of anybody being trapped, as far as we are aware the building was secure when we got here so it wasn't like they had evacuated out.

The Northern Echo:

Crews at the scene. Photo: Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue

"We are not aware of any casualties."

He said the number of appliances was a precautionary measure.

The first incident commander, Dean Kennedy, had spotted a large plume of smoke coming from a ventilation shaft and called for back-up.

"When he arrived and saw the building was locked down he has requested five fire engines, one aerial ladder platform and an incident command support unit," he said. "They were already on the way to back up the two appliances he already had here from Darlington. He has made the right decision to get those moving early and as it turns out, fingers crossed, it looks like we are not going to need them."

The incident drew large crowds, including a gangs of youths on bikes, who were causing a general nuisance.

The Northern Echo:

One of the fire tenders at the college. Photo: Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue

"Because of the location, people have been driving past, and have pulled in to film it on mobile phones, cameras etc. We have had to move a few of them because obviously we have a lot of appliances and some of them will get blocked or won't be able to get in."