BY IAN CROUCH
Firefighters have been confronted by foul-smelling fumes after being called to the University of Newcastle overnight.
Crews from Wallsend responded to an automatic fire alarm at the Advanced Technology Centre on the Callaghan Campus at about 7.15pm on Thursday to find thick plumes of smoke in the lower levels of the complex.
Wearing breathing apparatus, they located the source of the smoke coming from a small room containing a furnace operating at temperatures in excess of 500 degrees Celsius.
Inside the furnace were two small pots containing a compost-like substance emitting black smoke from an exhaust pipe.
They isolated the power to the furnace and ventilated the lower levels of the building.
No injuries or damage was reported.
