The fire broke out shortly before 6:30 p.m. at the Brower Commons dining hall on College Avenue, according to Rutgers spokeswoman Sandy Lanman.
The dining hall, which can serve hundreds of students at a time, was serving dinner when the fire alarm sounded. It was not immediately clear how many people were in the building at the time.
The fire broke out on the third floor in the President's Dining Room, which is used for special events, Lanman said. Students eat on the first floor.
Lanman said flames were visible for a time through upper windows of the three-story building. Part of the roof collapsed, and there was smoke and water damage to much of the building.
Fire departments from New Brunswick, Edison, Franklin and North Brunswick responded, as well as New Brunswick police and the university's police and emergency services, and quickly brought the fire under control.
Stonier Hall, which houses 178 students across a courtyard from the dining hall, was evacuated. There was no damage to the residence hall, and students were expected to be allowed back in at about 9 p.m.
Firefighters were still on the scene as of 8:30 p.m., with the fire extinguished. The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.
The dining hall will be closed indefinitely, with students directed to other locations, Lanman said.
