Excerpts from fox6now.com:
Milwaukee firefighters responded to Milwaukee’s long-vacant Northridge Mall Wednesday, Aug. 10 for the fourth fire in just over three weeks. It was upgraded to a second alarm due to the size and decrepit condition of the building. When firefighters arrived, smoke was pouring from the old food court area.
A similar incident happened back on July 19. That fire was arson, and damage was estimated at approximately $200,000. Firefighters reported it was one of the hottest fires they’ve ever fought. There were additional fires July 16 and July 24. On the 16th, crews responded to a rubbish fire. On the 24th, someone yet again gained access to the unsecured building.
Every one of these incidents is an enormous drag on resources, and firefighters’ lives are in danger as firefighters risk losing oxygen and not coming out alive.
Since there’s no electric or gas in the building, the only way the fire could have started was by someone setting it.
thanks Martin
#1 by Tom Conrad on August 12, 2022 - 9:16 PM
I give Chief Lipski alot of credit for standing up for his firefighters. I remember how Northridge was when I was a kid, it has become so run down now. I think that the chief would have the crews take a defensive posture verses interior attack, preventing serious injuries
#2 by Joe Smith on August 12, 2022 - 5:12 PM
It’s time for Neighborhood Services to take expedited code enforcement action against this long vacant and deteriorated property, which might encourage the owners to raze the building and thereby eliminate this nuisance.
#3 by Austin on August 12, 2022 - 8:00 AM
It sounds like who ever owns it, is not doing a good job of keeping the structure secure. There are no shortage of abandoned malls, including some that have been abandoned for nearly 20 years now, but they don’t catch fire. The city should force the owner to secure it better, otherwise nothing will change. The police can only patrol it so much. Every fire just makes the building more dangerous.
#4 by crabbymilton on August 12, 2022 - 5:53 AM
I certainly can’t blame the chief for feeling that way but I’m not sure if he would be called to the carpet if he refused to allow the units to respond. Perhaps North Shore would be next in the MABAS line or Tosa. Setting aside that it’s sad that the once nice mall had over the years been allowed to get to that point where bums are obviously living in there and starting fires, that owner should either work to bring NORTHRIDGE to it’s former glory and create a regional destination mall or tear it down once and for all.