Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette The site of a March fire on College Avenue is seen Thursday.

HOUGHTON — The Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce will return to regular operations in its building Tuesday, more than a month after a fire and explosion destroyed an adjacent apartment building, Manager Tara Arens said Wednesday.

While not being in the office, Chamber staff were still checking voicemails and responding to email and phone calls, Arens said.

All residents escaped safely from the March 13 fire at 908 College Avenue. Foul play and other human factors have been ruled out as causes.

The owner of 908 Shelden Avenue got a contractor approved by his insurance company to clean up the site of the fire, City Manager Eric Waara said Wednesday.

Semco Gas had been doing soil vapor extraction in the ground around the building. The practice is used to remove below-ground contaminant vapors.

“They finally got the levels down to where it’s almost a non-detect on gas,” Waara said. “The level’s going in the right direction.”

Crews from Semco Gas will return the week of May 9 to do forensic work on the gas line behind the Crist station on Lake Street, which was shut off after the fire, Waara said. The city will meet with Michigan Technological University in two weeks to coordinate the connection between the pier and Tech’s repairs to the seawall at the Lakeshore Center. The wall had partially collapsed last year.

Waara also gave an update on the site of an earlier fire. 915 College Avenue had been demolished Monday and Tuesday. The building was condemned after a 2021 fire. Crews will place topsoil, seed and mulch there to grow grass and reduce erosion.