A university worker cleans Testudo. The statue caught on fire outside McKeldin Library early Wednesday morning.

Update, 7:40 p.m.: University Police and the Office of the University Fire Marshal reviewed security camera footage and determined the fire started when a lit candle ignited a lampshade.

Testudo might be a bit ashy, but he is still standing on his pedestal in front of McKeldin Library after catching on fire early Wednesday morning.

University Police responded to a report of a fire in front of the library at about 1 a.m. and found offerings had been set on fire on top of the statue. The police department’s criminal investigations unit and the Office of the University Fire Marshal reviewed security camera footage of the area and determined the fire was accidental. Police said the fire occurred when a lampshade was placed over a lit candle.

Photos posted on Facebook and Twitter showed the statue and surrounding offerings engulfed in flames. Two university libraries employees, Marvin Jones and Adnan Qureshi, quickly extinguished the fire and called police, said Timothy Hackman, university libraries head of resource sharing and access services.

“Late Night was a little more eventful than usual last night,” Hackman wrote in an email to library staff Wednesday morning.

By 7:50 a.m., Facilities Management workers had cleared debris and offerings from the area and were cleaning the statue. Someone put bandages on the statue, and others left moisturizing lotion. Testudo was not damaged, police said, and no injuries were reported in the incident.

“I am happy to report that there was no damage to Testudo in front of McKeldin,” university President Wallace Loh wrote in a Tweet. “Testudo is ready to continue supporting our #UMD community!”

The bronze statue, created in 1933, has been a fixture in front of the library since 1960s. Students place offerings in front of Testudo during finals week, but Anne Turkos, university archivist, said this is the first time she’s heard of the offerings catching on fire.

“Nothing like this has ever happened, as far as I know,” Turkos wrote in an email. “This just makes me sick.”

Additional reporting by Teddy Amenabar.