CANTON -- St. Lawrence University is opening some of its lab and other facilities to SUNY Canton students while the state college recovers from a fire in one its laboratories Friday, Feb. 11.

The fire began in a chemistry lab in Cook Hall at the center of the SUNY Canton campus, blanketing the area with smoke and forcing the evacuation of several buildings and resulting in a decision by SUNY Canton administration to close the school this week. Classes college-wide are to resume next week, but it will probably take longer to restore Cook Hall to complete functionality.

“Three labs on the third floor of Bewkes, no longer in use by our faculty and students, will be used by chemistry and biology classes from SUNY Canton,” wrote SLU President Bill Fox in a message to the community.

“Students and faculty will have bus transportation to and from campus, provided by SUNY Canton. We will prepare the spaces to be used, including cleaning and restoring all life safety systems necessary for lab work.” The labs should be ready by March 5. Fox said.

“SUNY Canton will use the labs through this semester and perhaps longer, depending upon how quickly testing and repairs can be completed to their facilities.”

Fox said he was “very proud of the faculty and staff of St. Lawrence for their generosity, initiative and overall willingness to help our academic neighbor. I know you will join them in welcoming our SUNY Canton colleagues to campus.”