After a week of spring break vacation in Acapulco, Mexico, several Penn State students are wishing for one thing: to be back in State College.

When Devon Herrick (junior-public relations) awoke to screams of "fire" early yesterday morning, she said she thought that it was just drunk people messing around. But when she got up to check on the situation after the screams got louder, she was amazed by what she saw.

"The rooms were completely clouded in smoke. People were jumping off balconies," Herrick said.

"It was like something out of a movie. I don't even know how to describe it."

The second tower of the hotel she was staying in was on fire.

Several Penn State students who booked their spring break trip through StudentCity.com said they were stranded in Acapulco after the fire, Herrick said.

After the group's first scheduled flight was pushed back, Michael Werb (junior-accounting) said he and his fellow travelers had been assigned to hotel rooms at Best Western Playa Suites.

"This has been the worst two days of my life," Werb said.

"Everyone's been crying; everything we've heard is from our parents."

Werb said his flight home was supposed to depart at 1 a.m. Saturday. But he was still in Acapulco at 7 p.m. yesterday waiting for a flight that was scheduled to leave at 1 a.m. today.

Several hours after the fire, he said, students were allowed back into the building to get their luggage with gas masks and wet towels over their faces.

"People were running in and out. No one had any idea what was going on. They finally put us in a nightclub. We've been sitting in a nightclub for forever," Tina Porcaro (junior-business) said shortly after 6 last night, talking loudly to be heard over background noise.

Herrick said an enjoyable week in Mexico was not worth the hassle.

"The fun I had on this trip does not make up for the aggravation during the departure. It's ruined spring break, almost," Herrick said, adding that she plans to be reimbursed.

Several attempts to contact representatives from StudentCity.com were unsuccessful.

An update on the company's Web site reported at 8:50 last night that students will be brought to the airport for a 1:30 a.m. flight with an 8 a.m. arrival in Philadelphia.

The update also reported that there were no known injuries.