Milwaukee U-Haul fires: Possible causes in investigation reports
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Fire Department investigation reports, which FOX6 obtained Thursday, reveal new details about the possible causes of two fires that happened at a U-Haul storage facility earlier this year.
U-Haul fires in January, April
The backstory:
The U-Haul Moving & Storage Facility where the fires took place is located near 1st and Lapham. The first fire happened on Jan. 21. MFD said cold temperatures, winds and void spaces within the buildings posed challenges in fighting the five-alarm fire. The second fire happened on April 6. The two-alarm fire impacted a different area of the facility.
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January fire report
Dig deeper:
According to the report on the January fire, MFD investigators spoke with two U-Haul employees. Those employees said they heard "what sounded like fireworks going off," went to investigate, found fire, left and called 911. There were no known hazardous materials in the facility.
Investigators hypothesized the cause was "open flame/spark from heat." They were "unable to rule out multiple other competent ignition sources." The cause was still classified as "under investigation" in the report, which was completed on April 19.
Scene of fire near Barclay and Orchard, Milwaukee
April fire report
Dig deeper:
The April fire report lists "electrical malfunction" as the probable ignition source and noted investigators were "unable to rule out responsibility of human fault." It described "an intentional action with negligence or reckless conduct."
A description of code violations said We Energies refused to turn electric service back on after the January fire, according to the report, and the facility owner hired an outside company to supply electric generators for power to an existing sub-panel. The owner told fire investigators that two of the generators only operated during business hours and the third supplied power at all times to the key fob entry system for renters. The fire detection and fire sprinkler systems were also out of service after the January fire, the report said.
There was a raze permit to demolish the building that was damaged in January, and the owners' application said there was no electrical service to the building. The connected building where the April fire took place had no pending permits or licenses to be operating after the initial fire.
U-Haul storage facility on S. 1st Street, Milwaukee (April 2026)
The Source: FOX6 News obtained and reviewed Milwaukee Fire Department investigation reports.