Work to stabilize exterior walls of Trinity Lutheran Church will run through August

MILWAUKEE -- Work will continue Friday, July 20 to rebuild the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee.  A fire on May 15 consumed much of the building, leaving just the walls standing.

Two months after the all-consuming fire swallowed the structure, construction workers are making it a church again. It will be weeks before crews step inside what's left of this church. On Friday morning, crews will continue to stabilize the outside wall. The first of many steps to re-open this historic building for worship.

Once the outside work is done they'll be able to go inside.

"Even to go into the building to begin salvage or even remove all the debris the walls have to be stabilized," Rev. Burakowski.

The massive fire caused an estimated $17 million in damage — $13 million to the building itself and another $4 million to the contents within the building.

Officials have indicated the fire started on the roof — which was under construction at the time. There are reports heating tools caused the fire, but Milwaukee Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing indicated the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

It's not clear, until they are able to get inside the church, how much insurance will be able to cover. Anyone who would like to help donate to the rebuilding of the church, CLICK HERE.