The fire was reported at 4:18 a.m. at the Lambda Chi Alpha house, located at 918 College Ave. Five fraternity members were staying in the house. Everyone in the building at the time was able to get out safely.

“One of the guys was still asleep, and the cops had to assist a little bit,” said Will Hartz, a mechanical engineering student who just finished his fourth year. “I’m glad everybody got out safe.”

However, much of the fraternity’s memorabilia would likely be unsalvageable, Hartz said.

The fire appeared to have started in a wall on the third floor next to the showers, said first-year mechanical engineering student Ethan Blough.

The structure is seen after the fire was extinguished. Garrett Neese/ Daily Mining Gazette)

“The third floor of our house was pretty smoky, so a couple of us woke up and we were walking around,” said third-year computer science student Isaac Cooper. “We saw it in the walls and called 911 shortly after.”

Talking to a SEMCO gas representative, the students said they had not smelled any gas when the fire started.

The Houghton Fire Department and Houghton Police Department are continuing to investigate the incident. The cause is unknown.

Traffic was detoured at MacInnes Drive Friday morning. By 12:30 p.m., the scene had been cleared and traffic had resumed.

In a statement, Michigan Technological University said it is working with those displaced to provide housing and additional support. Fourteen students were set to live in the house this fall.

The Salvation Army of Hancock has been coordinating with the American Red Cross and Pigs ‘N’ Heat to put together care packages for the displaced students, said site director Pete Mackin.

Mackin suggested clothing donations go to the St. Vincent de Paul store, while furniture should go to Love, Inc.

The Salvation Army has helped with housing for about 170 people this year, Mackin said.

“It’s been a challenge to have so many with the housing crisis going on, but we’re blessed that no one was injured,” he said.

He suggested people donating to the Salvation Army give to its disaster relief fund. Case workers will meet with the fire victims to tailor the donations to their needs; in the case of last year’s Calumet fire, that included work boots, tools or rent deposits, Mackin said.

Mackin also thanked McDonald’s for providing food to local firefighters.

The house dates back to 1899, when prominent lawyer Allen Rees tapped noted architect Henry Leopold Ottenheimer to design his home, according to MTU’s Copper Country Architects site. Ottenheimer also designed local landmarks like the Douglass House.

Most recently, John and Helen Sullivan operated a bed and breakfast there before selling the house to Lambda Chi Alpha in 2005.

An alumnus had recently funded renovations of the basement and dance floor, Hartz said. It was finished about a month before the fire.

“A lot of guys have lived there and been in that house,” he said. “It’s going to be sad for us.”