Abstract: A drop panel unit of a suspended ceiling system, for preventing, in event of a fire, a suspended ceiling panel from interfering with a sprinkler system installed above the suspended ceiling system, the drop panel unit having a frame defining a drop panel opening and at least one drop panel for covering the drop panel opening. Each drop panel has a hinge for hinging the drop panel to one side of the frame, to provide for each drop panels to rotate about the hinge by gravity from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. An electromagnetic support magnetically holds the drop panel in the horizontal orientation when electric power is provided to the electromagnetic support and a damper slows the rotation of the drop panel from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation when the electric power is removed from the electromagnetic support in the event of a fire.