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U-Haul fire, tenants seek access to items
A month after a fire damaged a U-Haul storage facility, a tenant said she still has not been able to access what is left of her family's belongings.
MILWAUKEE - A month after a fire heavily damaged a U-Haul storage facility on Milwaukee’s south side, one tenant says she still hasn’t been able to access what remains of her family’s belongings — and is asking for more transparency as demolition plans move forward.
What we know:
The fire destroyed much of the facility near Orchard and 1st Street. Kathryn Behling says one of the units inside contained decades of baseball memorabilia collected by her father, Dan Siettmann.
"He was an avid baseball memorabilia collector. He's been collecting since he was a kid," she said. "It's like my dad's legacy — he enjoyed it so much even his funeral was, like, baseball-themed."
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The unit held what she describes as prized possessions, including autographed cards and books — all inside the building that burned.
"Watching that fire, I kept thinking of each card being ignited by these flames and being consumed one at a time," said Behling.
More than a month after the blaze, Behling says she has still not been allowed to enter the site to see what may remain.
What they're saying:
"I'd like to get in there to see what is left so that I can take photos of what is left for insurance purposes," she said.
Behling says communication from the company has been limited.
"We're not getting any kind of communication," she said. "When I called her yesterday it was just a customer service person at the desk saying that no one was allowed in."
She says learning the damaged storage facility could soon be demolished has added urgency.
"I just don't want to see it torn down before I can see what's left and be given the opportunity to try and retrieve if anything is left," said Behling.
U-Haul responded in a written statement saying customers have not yet been allowed back into the building due to debris and safety concerns, but access is expected in the near future.
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"We have yet to allow customers due to debris and safety concerns — customers will be asked to come in and collect any belongings in the near future. U-Haul will contact these customers directly once we can make that section available," the statement reads.
For now, Behling says she is simply hoping for answers.
"[...] I want to get in there. I need to get in there," said Behling.
Dig deeper:
FOX6 News reached out to the Milwaukee Fire Department for an update on the cause of the fire but has not yet heard back.
U-Haul fire: Milwaukee storage facility could be demolished
After fire destroyed a Milwaukee U-Haul storage facility in January, city records show the charred shell of the building could soon be torn down.
The Source: FOX6 News referenced information from U-Haul, interviews with the person quoted in this story and prior coverage of the fire.