MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A Milwaukee South Side warehouse that caught fire Tuesday morning was home to businesses operating illegally, without occupancy permits, and the building had not received a full fire inspection since 2023, according to city records.
Milwaukee fire crews battled the blaze at the warehouse at 7th and Cleveland Avenue Tuesday morning. Firefighters said the fire was challenging since it had been burning for a while before crews arrived.
Since then, Chief Investigative Reporter Jenna Rae has been combing through public records which show the building has not had a fire inspection in years, and all the tenants doing business inside are doing so illegally, without occupancy permits, according to the city's Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS).
TMJ4 News tried calling all of the known businesses inside the warehouse on Wednesday. One owner hung up on us, one didn't answer, and another said they were in the process of getting an occupancy permit.
Watch: Records show missing permits, missed fire inspections ahead of warehouse fire
While making those calls, a man walked out of the building. He identified himself as the warehouse's owner, Jon Petrie.
Petrie, who, according to city records, purchased the building in 2021, agreed to talk to a TMJ4 News crew on camera.
"To come here in the morning to 50 fire trucks outside," Petrie said. "It's pretty devastating."
When asked how many businesses were operating inside the warehouse, Petrie said four.
"Two of them were in the process of getting their occupancy," Petrie said.
A DNS spokesperson said that being "in the process of obtaining occupancy does not allow operation."
DNS also found evidence of illegal habitation inside the building.
"A makeshift apartment of some sort, a refrigerator, and a shower," Rae asked Petrie.
"Another problem tenant that I've been trying to get out since I got the building," Petrie responded.
DNS has pictures from its inspection after the fire, which show more than 100 chickens in cages that died during the fire. We asked Petrie about that, too.
"There was a storage customer that I inherited when I bought the building who I've been trying to get him to find a new place," Petrie explained.
It's unclear how many people and/or businesses are in the warehouse, and DNS said it doesn't know either.
DNS initiated a court case against Petrie after he repeatedly failed to provide entry for a fire inspection for years. Most recently, records show the city tried to gain access in March, wanted a correction date by May 1, and that still had not happened.
"That's news to me. It's possible that we missed it, but we've updated everything in terms of the extinguishers and sprinkler systems. I don't think that would have prevented the fire," Petrie said.
Petrie said he believes an electrical malfunction started the fire.
"There's nothing they would've came in and inspected that would have prevented that from happening," Petrie said.
The warehouse is now placarded, meaning only tenants gathering materials and workers can be inside until things are cleaned up and occupancy permits are finalized.
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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