WEST ALLIS, Wis. — A massive three-alarm fire tore through the future West Allis Department of Public Works facility Thursday morning, damaging part of the nearly completed multi-million-dollar project and sending thick smoke visible for miles across the Milwaukee area.
Firefighters from West Allis and several neighboring departments responded to the construction site near South 53rd Street and West Rogers Street after flames were reported coming from the roof of the main building.
WATCH: Fire breaks out at West Allis Public Works building construction site
No injuries were reported.
Mayor Dan Devine said the sight of smoke pouring from the city’s future public works complex was difficult to process.
“Just to have a photo first thing in the morning of a four-story smoke plume coming out of one of your newest buildings, your heart just kind of sinks,” Devine said.
The city confirmed the fire happened at the future Department of Public Works facility at 1906 S. 53rd St., a project that broke ground in 2024 and was expected to open this fall.
Drone video from the scene showed extensive damage to sections of the roof, along with debris and building materials scattered across the site.
Watch: Fire damages nearly completed West Allis Public Works facility under construction
The project is expected to cost between $65 million and $80 million and was designed to centralize several city operations under one roof, including public works, engineering and information technology departments.
According to the city, the facility will house 135 full-time and 25 seasonal employees, along with vehicle and equipment storage intended to reduce wear on city fleet vehicles currently stored outdoors.
The facility was also expected to support city services including snow plowing, garbage collection, sewer maintenance, forestry and traffic signal operations.
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the fire. Devine said early reports suggested the fire may have started on the roof, but officials have not confirmed that information.
The mayor said it is too early to know how much the fire will delay construction.
The project had already experienced some construction issues before the fire. Devine acknowledged there had been an earlier incident involving shifting footings at the site, though he described the overall project as “somewhat smooth” despite occasional “curveballs.”
Businesses near the construction site watched the fire unfold Thursday morning.
Javier Arce, owner of Caribe Ink and Thread, said he and others across the street noticed smoke before flames intensified.
“We started seeing a small area, a lot of smoke coming out of it, and we said that’s not normal,” Arce said.
Arce said nearby businesses received calls advising them to leave the area as crews battled the blaze.
“We did get some phone calls, people telling us to leave that building and go somewhere safe,” he said.
Still, Arce said he remained optimistic about the project's future.
“They’ll fix it, and it’s going to come out really nice,” Arce said. “It’s going to be a great building for West Allis.”
City officials said public works services will continue uninterrupted because employees are still operating from the city’s current facilities while construction continues on the new complex.
Investigators remained at the scene Thursday working to determine the extent of the damage and the cause of the fire.
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