Shelter in place warning issued after fire reported at Tissue Depot in Cheboygan

CHEBOYGAN — A large fire has broken out at the Tissue Depot in Cheboygan.

The fire began late Wednesday morning. Large plumes of smoke could be seen emanating from the area.

According to a reporter on the scene, the fire is on South Main Street and police are asking residents to avoid South Main Street and South Huron Street to Lincoln Avenue.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has also reported that northbound and southbound M-27 (Main Street) between Lincoln Avenue and Nelson Street is closed.

The City of Cheboygan is asking residents to keep clear of the area while firefighters and emergency responders are on the scene.

Spencer Byrd, superintendent of Cheboygan Area Schools, said the district has been in communication with the police to evaluate any cause for concerns to the district.

"We've been communicating with the police and the emergency management system folks, and right now, we've been encouraged to stay in place," Byrd said.

Byrd said that because the fire is blowing south and not towards any of the campuses, the district has been instructed to stay in place for now. However, the district will be releasing students slightly early to account for the added time needed as buses need to be re-routed away from the closed streets.

"We are going to start our bus routes a little bit sooner so that we can try to approximately have the same drop-off time," Byrd said.

All after school events that are scheduled to be outside have been canceled for today. Inside and away events are still on.

On Wednesday afternoon, a shelter in place warning had been issued for the city.

According to a Facebook post by CCE Central Dispatch 911, the warning is for City of Cheboygan residents only in a one mile radius of the fire. It is effective until 1:36 p.m. on Sept. 14 and is due to poor air quality.

Officials advise sheltering in place and closing all windows.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has temporarily closed the Cheboygan Lock and Dam due to the fire. An announcement will be made when the lock reopens to the public. At this time, there is no known estimated timeframe for reopening.

Many buildings and businesses in the area have closed while the fire is ongoing.

This story will be updated as more information is available.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Large fire reported at Tissue Depot in Cheboygan