NATCHEZ — A late-night fire Thursday in a metal storage building at Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Natchez campus is still under investigation.

Natchez Fire Department Battalion Chief David Williams said firefighters worked through the night until approximately 8 a.m. this morning to put out the fire and investigate the scene. Williams said the state fire marshal will arrive later today to conduct an investigation to find out what started the fire.

NFD and volunteer firefighters were on the scene last night working to put out the fire, which is believed to have started in one corner of the building. Firefighters cut large holes with K-12 rescue saw in the sides of the building just after 11 p.m. in an attempt to push air into the building to push heat and smoke out to get inside to move the supplies stored in the building outside.

“It’s so hot in there it’s melting the face shields on their helmets,” Captain David Freeman said Thursday night as firefighters worked to gain access to the building.

Co-Lin Vice President Teresa Busby said the storage building houses maintenance equipment, such as lawnmowers, weed eaters and chain saws, as well as furniture and office supplies. Busby said maintenance employees have access to the building, but she said no one was in the building when the fire started.

“Luckily, there we no people inside,” she said.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies were also on the scene Thursday night. Deputy Walter Mackel said the sheriff’s office received a call from someone at Jason’s Body Shop at approximately 9 p.m. saying there was  a lot of smoke in the area of the college.