Could Have Been a Lot Worse: WFD Extinguishes Downtown Fire With Lots of Mutual Aid on Hand (Updated)

Posted on: August 12, 2023

137-139 W. Center Street fire – Photo credit Matthew Richardson

Update 8/14/23 at 12:10 a.m.: According to WKOW, “Whitewater police told 27 News one person was taken to the hospital….That person is expected to recover. The Whitewater Fire Chief told 27 News they lived in a top floor apartment next to the fire….The chief said one of the building’s owners was on the roof working on a small repair when they believe a piece of tar caught fire and spread to the rest of the building.”

At approximately 2:12 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, August 12, Whitewater Fire and EMS was dispatched to a report of multiple Center St. buildings on fire, in the City of Whitewater. Fire crews quickly responded, finding two downtown buildings involved, with flames visible from the roof.

First arriving crews were able to extinguish a large body of fire from the ground, prior to gaining roof access with aerial apparatus. Once on the roof, crews found the roof involved, as well as the front wall and minor extension to the 2nd floor of the structure.

The incident was escalated to a three alarm fire due to the number of buildings involved and the outside temperatures. Box 12-2 was pulled bringing numerous units from Walworth, Jefferson, Rock and Waukesha counties to the scene.

Damage is estimated to be approximately $175,000 for building and contents. The cause of the fire is believed to be construction related. Crews were on scene approximately three hours.

Whitewater Fire and EMS was assisted by the following agencies. A huge thank you to them for their assistance.

City of Delavan Fire Dept
Darien Fire Dept
East Troy Fire Dept
Elkhorn Area Fire Dept
Evansville Fire Dept
Fort Atkinson Fire Department
Janesville Fire Department
Jefferson Fire Department
Johnson Creek Fire Department
Kettle Moraine Fire Dept
Lake Country Fire and Rescue
Lake Geneva Fire Dept
Lake Mills Fire Dept
Lakeside Fire-Rescue
Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department
Mukwonago Fire Department
Sullivan Fire Dept
Town of Delavan Fire Dept
Walworth Fire Dept
Watertown Fire Dept
Western Lakes Fire District
Williams Bay Fire Dept.

Closeup of fire by Matthew Richardson, who says that it “shows beasts fighting in the smoke if you look.”

After fire was doused the damage looks deceptively minor.

Lisa Dawsey Smith sweeping up ashes; she always seems to show up when something needs doing downtown! Lynn Binnie photos

Editor’s note: Fire and water damage appears to be limited to 137-139 W. Center St., which is currently vacant on the first floor. It is not known whether there are tenants on the second floor. Reportedly the cats next door at BaristaCats Cafe were all safely evacuated. 139 W. Center St. was formerly Gus’ Pizza Palace.