Police officers cordoned off the University of Manitoba’s campus in downtown Winnipeg on Saturday, closing all entrances because of fears that a science-building fire had ignited hazardous chemicals in laboratories, the Canadian Press reported.

Emergency workers evacuated a number of buildings on the campus, including a dormitory, while firefighters fought a large blaze in the science building, which houses the psychology department and zoology labs. Fire officials initially were unaware of the hazardous-chemical threat, according to the Winnipeg Free Press, but after learning that the labs contained at least 250 chemicals, they ordered firefighting crews out of the burning building and sent in a hazmat team. There were also fears about the presence of asbestos in the building.

No one was injured in the blaze, and the cleanup is under way. The damage was initially estimated at more than $1-million, but a fire-department spokesman told CJOB-68, a local radio station, that it was likely to be more than $2-million.

The university described the damage as “significant” and said the building was closed. Classes that were scheduled to be held in the building on Monday are canceled, and later classes will be rescheduled at other locations. It was not yet known how much data or research was lost, but all animals kept in the building were safe, the university said. —Karen Birchard