MILWAUKEE — A five-alarm fire tore through a massive warehouse near 32nd and Hampton on Milwaukee's North Side, and demolition of the building is now underway as neighbors and church leaders look ahead to what could replace it.
Milwaukee Police are investigating the fire, which occurred Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at approximately 6:10 p.m. on the 3200 block of W. Hampton Avenue. A 22-year-old woman was arrested after investigators said she handled burning material that caused the vacant building to catch fire. Criminal charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
Fire crews remained on scene Thursday as demolition began, continuing to pour water on hotspots throughout the day.
"We've maintained a fire watch overnight with the building," Assistant Chief of Operations Schuyler Belott said. "At this point, we've got a contractor in place that's coming in to start working on demolition of the property."
Watch: 22-year-old woman arrested after a fire destroyed vacant North Side building
Belott also noted the challenges crews faced during the response.
"We've had a lot of hidden collapse zones with fire that's continued to burn," Belott said.
The building was owned by Bishops Creek Community Development Corporation and was part of a larger vision by the late Bishop Sedgwick Daniels. Church leaders say plans for the property included affordable housing, office space, and a hotel — all aimed at bringing more investment to the area.
For neighbors who live just steps away, the fire was both frightening and a reminder of longstanding concerns about the vacant building.
"I look out and the whole building, like all the windows, bright orange flames. It was really frightening," neighbor Amy Austin said.
Austin said she had watched people enter and exit the building for years.
"I've been here 3 years, and I see people going in and out that bottom door all the time," Austin said. "You see homeless people going in and out of there, especially in the wintertime. So I mean, my biggest fear was that somebody was in there that was trapped in there."
Fire officials confirmed no active gas or electric service was running to the building at the time of the fire. Investigators have not released an official cause.
As the remaining walls come down, neighbors say they hope whatever is built next addresses real community needs.
"Maybe some commercial space at the bottom… and then housing above. We don't really have many options for grocery shopping… especially people who are taking the city bus," Austin said.
Neighbor Quincey Green echoed the call for something that serves the broader community.
"A community center would be good for teenagers, too. Give the young people something to do," Green said.
Green also described the shock of watching the blaze unfold so close to home.
"To be right here, actually close to the building; to see the building on fire is crazy," Green said.
Church leaders say that despite the loss, they still plan to continue their vision of redevelopment and investment on Milwaukee's North Side. The investigation remains active as crews continue demolition.
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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