Fire at Franklin Walmart (Credit: Joshua Hall)
FRANKLIN, Wis. - The Walmart in Franklin is ready to partially reopen after a fire on Monday night.
What they're saying:
In a Facebook post, the store said a portion of the store would reopen at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 19. The retailer's typical hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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It's unclear which portion of the store will be accessible to shoppers.
The backstory:
Firefighters were called to the scene for a fire inside the store's west end just before 9 p.m. on July 14. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke and visible flames as people evacuated.
The building’s automatic fire sprinkler system was activated and assisted in controlling the spread of the fire and limiting smoke production.
No injuries were reported. Investigators have not said how the fire started.
"That was like, the party aisle. What’s going to set fire there?" April King, a merchandising contractor at the store, said. "I was shocked, honestly. Because it's like, you know, I’ve never seen a random fire like that in a place you wouldn’t associate with a fire."
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Preliminary damage estimates are still being evaluated. However, extensive smoke damage was noted throughout the structure, resulting in the loss of merchandise estimated to be several million dollars, fire officials say.
A 10-year-old Milwaukee boy was questioned. According to a juvenile court official, he is not in custody.
The Source: FOX6 News referenced prior coverage of the fire. Details about the store's partial reopening were posted on the store's social media.