August 11, 2022 at 11:48 a.m.
Fire heavily damages building in Minocqua
No one injured in the blaze; U.S. Highway 51 shut down for several hours
Fire heavily damages building in Minocqua
According to a press release issued by Minocqua police chief Dave Jaeger, the department's dispatch center received calls just before 4 a.m. Monday regarding "a fully engulfed vehicle parked by apartments above Copy Cat Printing."
"Upon arrival on scene, officers helped the occupants of the apartments get to safety," he stated in the press release. "The fire caused an explosion in the vehicle and spread to the building and the vehicle parked next to it."
Jaeger said there were no injuries resulting from the explosion and fire but one of the occupants of the building was taken "to a nearby hospital."
"At this time the fire does not appear to be intentional," he said.
Luke Taylor, Minocqua's fire chief, activated the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to assist in fighting the fire as U.S. Highway 51 was closed down for several hours and traffic rerouted.
In addition to firefighters with the Minocqua fire department, firefighters and equipment from Woodruff, Hazelhurst, Lake Tomahawk, Willow Region, Lac du Flambeau, Boulder Junction, Arbor Vitae and Little Rice were among those dispatched to assist.
The explosion people heard, Taylor said, was oxygen tanks in the Suburban that got heated as the vehicle fire burned.
"The (explosion from the) oxygen tanks blew the roof right off the Suburban," he said.
Also going off in the heat of the vehicle fire were a few rounds of ammunition as shell casings were found.
Taylor said while the upper and front portions of the structure were destroyed by fire, the printing business itself wasn't.
"There's significant water damage, though," he said.
Taylor said it's "unknown" as to why the Suburban caught fire.
"The oxygen tanks were not the start of the fire," he said. "They were residual because of fire in the car. We can tell the fire started at the front end of the vehicle, presumably the engine compartment."
Taylor said he's sure there will be additional investigating done by insurance companies but since the fire isn't considered questionable or intentional by authorities, "we're not gonna dig into it any further."
All four lanes of Hwy. 51, shut down for at least four hours, were reopened to traffic by 9 a.m. Monday.
For information regarding a GoFundMe page started for the residents of the upstairs apartment, Kathy Sernovitz may be reached at 425-308-6447.
Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].
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