Demolition of a charred building at 368 North State Street is on hold until hazardous material test results are completed by the Department of Environmental Quality. In the meantime, in the neighboring building, the Secretary of State office reopened Tuesday, January 19. A downtown St. Ignace building destroyed by fire Wednesday, January 6, is awaiting test results for hazardous materials, such as asbestos, from the Department of Environmental Quality before it can be completely torn down, said owner Tom Briggs of St. Ignace. Test results will determine procedures that might be needed when the building is demolished. The charred building is still standing with debris piled next to it at 368 North State Street.

It has been determined that the fire in the building, which housed a store and upstairs apartments, was likely caused by careless smoking, said St. Ignace Fire Chief John "Bucky" Robinson Tuesday, January 19. No one was injured in the blaze. Firefighters from five local communities extinguished it.

Mr. Briggs told The St. Ignace News Monday, January 18, that since the fire, all of his efforts have been put into getting the Secretary of State Office reopened next door to the fire site. Mr. Briggs owns both buildings.

The Secretary of State Office reopened Tuesday, January 19. The office had been closed since January 6, when it received smoke and water damage from the fire. Since the fire, the state services had been provided to the community from a mobile office on US-2.

When the building at 368 North State Street is taken down, Mr. Briggs said, the lot will be filled to prevent erosion, although he has not yet decided if he will replace the structure. The burned building is joined to the Secretary of State office building by a second floor walkway. That building is under repair. Two apartments above the office received heavy smoke damage. That building will get a new heating system and an outside stairway.

"At best, it will be a few months before the apartments are ready," Mr. Briggs said.