Extreme cold temperatures wreaked havoc across southeast Wisconsin on Friday, forcing business closures, causing water main breaks, and creating dangerous conditions for emergency responders.
At Rupena's Fine Foods in West Allis, owner Maria Rupena was forced to close her grocery store after the frigid temperatures caused her refrigeration system to fail.
"It sucks. It more than sucks. It gives me such a bad pit in my stomach," Rupena said.
The below-zero wind chills proved too much for the store's older refrigeration system, which relies on gas pressure to operate properly.
"We lost our refrigeration, which is a freezer, freezer system, and our cooler," Rupena said. "And when it's too cold, that gas freezes, and the pressure isn't strong enough to push it through."
The unexpected closure turned away customers like Lynn Nardi, who had planned to purchase ingredients for a warm meal.
Watch: Extreme cold forces Wisconsin grocery store closure, causes water main break
"I came to buy a chuck roast and some vegetables to make a nice warm meal," Nardi said.
For small businesses like Rupena's, even a single day of closure creates significant financial strain.
"It takes us about 3-4 days, possibly, to make it up if we can, and it could be more," Rupena said.
Rupena is thankful for her customers and is hoping to open back up this weekend.
The cold weather also caused infrastructure problems throughout the region.
In Racine, a 60-inch water main broke near Spring Street and East Colonial Drive due to the freezing temperatures, according to the Racine Water Utility.
Emergency responders faced additional challenges when they battled a barn fire in Germantown during the dangerous weather conditions. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist 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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