EAST LANSING (WWJ) -- The mysterious chemical substance that shut down an academic building at Michigan State University this week was methamphetamine.
Details were revealed Wednesday evening as one person was charged in the incident that led to the evacuation of Wells Hall on Monday.
Xin Tong, 31, was arrested for allegedly operating a meth lab in Wells Hall, according to the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety.
Court records show he was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000, as well as operating/maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine.He was arraigned Wednesday, received a $500,000 cash/surety bond, and was lodged in the Ingham County Jail.
Police encountered Tong in the building on Sunday. He was allegedly found with multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane.
MSU Police Chief Mike Yankowski said the FBI was called in at that point.
"We wanted to ensure that the substances weren't explosives," Yankowski told reporters. "So I think it's important to state that the substances that we found were all what you would refer to as common products that can be purchased in retail stores, and online; they were not explosive.
"And that's why we brought in our federal partners, until we could understand what we had."It's unclear if Tong is a MSU student, staff member, or what connection he had to the school.
Yankowski said the fire department has been conducting tests before the building — which houses classrooms, lecture halls and faculty officers — can safely reopen.
"Using different types of equipment and monitors to make sure that the air levels were acceptable, oxygen levels were acceptable," Yankowski said. "We also had EHS in there conducting tests, running tests. And all of the tests that came back did not rise to a level that the facility or the environment was not considered safe."
University officials estimated the cost to fix the damage at at least $20,000.
Wells Hall will remain closed at least through Friday, May 1, with final exams that were scheduled in the building being held elsewhere.
