Investigators examine damage from fire in robotics lab at Lake Superior State University

UPDATE 9/28/23 1:30 p.m.

On Thursday morning, the Sault Ste. Marie fire chief, Michigan State Police fire investigators and insurance adjusters examined the damage from the fire at LSSU.

The fire chief told 9&10 News that the fire started at or near a machine in the engineering and robotics labs in the Center for Applied Science and Engineering Technology Building. He said several robotic machines were damaged or destroyed.

“The soot and the smoke was not like what you see in a normal fire. It has a lot of by-products from the components of the equipment so plastics and heavy metals in the batteries so it’s really greasy and it sticks and it’s really hard to clean,” said Ed Miller, Sault City Fire Chief.

Classes normally held in the damaged building have been relocated.

9/27/23 8:30 p.m.

SAULT STE MAIRE — According to the fire chief, the robotics room in the Center for Applied Science and Engineering Technology Building has extensive damage.

He also says that there is smoke damage throughout the entire building, causing classes to be relocated for Thursday.

No one was injured in the fire and the evacuation went smoothly.

The Michigan State Police fire marshall will be at Lake Superior State University Thursday to investigate the cause of the fire.

9/27/23 6:15 p.m.

SAULT STE. MARIE — A building on the Lake Superior State University Campus in Sault Ste. Marie is closed Wednesday evening due to a fire investigation.

Firefighters responded to the call just before 2:30 Wednesday afternoon for smoke seen in the robotics and engineering wing of the Center for Applied Science and Engineering Technology Building.

When they arrived, smoke was visible.

The building was evacuated with everyone told to go to the south side of the Cisler Center.

All classes in that building are canceled for the rest of the day, but the rest of the campus remains open.