Saturday, May 27, 2017

The Wauwatosa Fire Department has closed its investigation into a fire that broke out in a ceiling at Briggs and Stratton without being able to determine its cause




Wauwatosa, WI
 
The Wauwatosa Fire Department has closed its investigation into a fire that broke out in a ceiling at Briggs and Stratton Monday, May 22.

Wauwatosa Assistant Fire Chief Jim Case said the cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Laura A. Timm, vice president of corporate communications and public affairs for Briggs and Stratton said that over 700 employees were evacuated safely from the plant with no injuries reported.

"The fire was extinguished quickly and employees were returned safely into the building at 11:45 a.m.," Timm said. "Full production then resumed. Damage estimates are underway although expected to be insignificant."

The Wauwatosa Fire Department responded to a call at 10:21 a.m. Monday and crews were dispatched to the building at 3300 N. 124th St.

Arriving crews located the fire in an overhead duct that was perched above some heat-treating equipment, according to a news release from the Tosa Fire Department. Tosa firefighters were able to put out the blaze in about 40 minutes with help from the Milwaukee and West Allis fire departments.

The release said Tosa firefighters were in the area training and noticed a large amount of thick, black smoke in the air.

"Our crews began to respond just as our dispatch center received the 911 call from Briggs and Stratton," the release said.

The release said the fire appears to have started in or near the exhaust ducts located above the heat-treating equipment. The fire does not appear to be suspicious, according to the release.




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WAUWATOSA, WI — Briggs & Stratton, located near 124th and Burleigh was evacuated Monday morning, May 22nd due to a fire.

According to officials with the Wauwatosa Fire Department, around 10:30 a.m., crews out in the area training noticed a large amount of thick, black smoke in the air.

Fire was located in duct work above some heat treating equipment. This duct is a normal exhaust fan type setup to vent out the heat from inside the factory.


Briggs & Stratton

The fire was extinguished in about 40 minutes with help from firefighters from Milwaukee and West Allis. The fire was contained to the duct work.

The exact cause of the fire is undetermined. But it appears to have started in or near the exhaust ducts located above the heat treating equipment. The fire does not appear to be suspicious.

The building was evacuated, due in part to the smokey conditions.

There were no injuries to the workers or firefighters.