Library temporarily closed after smoke incident

Oxford Township Public Library closed a day earlier than the scheduled Thanksgiving break Thursday and Friday.

Oxford firefighters responded to a call from the library at 5:15 Tuesday evening when a rooftop heating unit began to smoke.

Everyone got out of the building without harm, according to Oxford Fire Chief Chief Pete Scholz.

The overheated unit “filled the building with smoke, but there was no structural damage and nothing to see,” he said.

Library officials called in a restoration company to remediate the smoke damage, using Facebook to announce, “it will take a while to clean everything.”

Among well wishes from Facebook followers, library officials noted smoke was coming out from light fixtures in the ceiling and filled the building in about two minutes. Because the incident happened during the dinner hour, there weren’t as many patrons in the library; they quickly evacuated.

Patrons can check the library’s Facebook page, where reopening information will be posted when it is available.

Several Oxford firefighters and EMTs were honored just last week by Oakland County Medical Control for outstanding service and excellence in patient care related to two separate cardiac calls earlier this year. Firefighters used CPR and defibrillators as well as advanced cardiac life support protocols. Those honored included EMTs Kristina Schefke and Sarah Dieters; Firefighter/EMTs Lewis Marshall and Joanne Edmonds; Firefighter/Medics Anthony Asbury, Medic Chris Scheer, Richard Dvorak and Darin Balinski as well as Capt. Kurt Fechter.