Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Fire engulfs historic downtown church

Cause of blaze unknown; loss of building possible

- Meg Jones and Annysa Johnson

A historic church in downtown Milwaukee ignited Tuesday afternoon, sending flames and billowing black smoke into the air.

Milwaukee firefighte­rs were called to Trinity Evangelica­l Lutheran Church near the corner of West Highland Avenue and North 9th Street about 3:45 p.m. The blaze quickly escalated to 2nd and 4th alarms, Assistant Milwaukee

Fire Chief Brian Smith said.

About 85 firefighte­rs were called to battle the blaze, and though no damage estimates were available the fire was large enough to damage the building’s structural integrity, Smith said.

“When you have a fire of this magnitude, you’re going to have some structural compromise,” Smith said.

Speaking at the scene, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett lamented the possible loss of the church.

“It hurts to see something this old and this iconic destroyed by fire,” Barrett said.

The cause of the blaze was not immediatel­y known, but it appeared to break out as workers on scaffoldin­g were performing maintenanc­e on the building. There were no injuries.

The Victorian Gothic church, in the shadow of the Pabst Brewery complex, was built in 1878 and is one of the oldest in the city. It is a state and Milwaukee landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“It’s a beautiful building. It’s a shame,” said Dinnel Murphy, a nurse at nearby Sinai Samaritan Hospital who saw the flames and walked over.

“It’s been there forever. It helps the poor and homeless, too. The building right next to it helps the homeless,” Murphy said, referring to St. Benedict the Moor parish on North 9th Street.

As firefighte­rs arrived on the scene, flames could be seen shooting from the roof and adjacent cupola and spires. Firefighte­rs in trucks and a large crane poured water onto the church, but they struggled to beat back the flames. Another crane soon arrived to shoot water from another side.

One of the large spires that had been engulfed in flames toppled about 4:10 p.m., minutes before the wooden roof collapsed as water poured in.

Flames could be seen through the windows, giving the scene a macabre, stained-glass appearance.

Police began moving people away from the site, which is across the street from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Some people could not get their cars out of a nearby parking lot. Traffic backed up downtown as police closed off West State Street from North 6th to North 11th streets.

WeEnergies arrived about 4:30 p.m. to cut power to the area.

By 5 p.m. the entire roof had fallen in and only blackened timbers could be seen above the brick walls.

At 6:45 p.m., fire crews remained on the scene though it was only the two large cranes towering over the smoldering ruins that were dousing the church with streams of water through the gaping maw of what had been the roof and windows. Flames could no longer be seen but smoke continued to rise up in a few areas.

The church is part of the Lutheran ChurchMiss­ouri Synod. Founded by German immigrants in 1847, it is the second-oldest Missouri Synod Congregati­on in Wisconsin. It was among the last in Milwaukee to hold services in German, at least until the early 1980s.

Trinity church officials said on Facebook: “We are heartbroke­n but know that a church is more than a structure. It is the people that make up the church. It is the people that will carry on in God’s grace and mercy.”

The Rev. John Wille, president of the synod’s South Wisconsin District, issued a statement saying the synod is “deeply saddened” by the blaze.

“The steeples at Trinity have been a part of the Milwaukee skyline for over 150 years,” it said. “Our district mourns the loss of the building, but we give thanks for the gospel message that has been proclaimed there for generation­s.

“We give thanks for the brave men and women of the Milwaukee Police and Fire Department­s who risked their safety in responding to the fire. We lift the congregati­on and pastors in our prayers.”

Designed by German immigrant Frederick Velguth, the church was built on parkland donated by Trinity parishione­r and hardware mogul John Pritzlaff, according to the Encycloped­ia of Milwaukee. The Victorian Gothic structure was constructe­d of Milwaukee’s famous Cream City brick with handcarved Wisconsin oak and ash for the interior woodwork. It cost $43,500 including $3,500 for the organ, which had 1,600 pipes and was included on the National Register of Historic Places in its own right.

At its peak in the early 1900s, Trinity had around 1,600 members.

 ?? MICHAEL SEARS / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL ?? Firefighte­rs battle a fire at Trinity Lutheran Church at 1046 North 9th Street in Milwaukee. The church was badly damaged by Tuesday afternoon’s blaze. See more photos and video at jsonline.com/news.
MICHAEL SEARS / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Firefighte­rs battle a fire at Trinity Lutheran Church at 1046 North 9th Street in Milwaukee. The church was badly damaged by Tuesday afternoon’s blaze. See more photos and video at jsonline.com/news.
 ?? MIKE DE SISTI AND JIM NELSON / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL ?? Smoke pours from Trinity Evangelica­l Lutheran Church at North 9th Street and West Highland Avenue in downtown Milwaukee.
MIKE DE SISTI AND JIM NELSON / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Smoke pours from Trinity Evangelica­l Lutheran Church at North 9th Street and West Highland Avenue in downtown Milwaukee.
 ?? CHRIS KOHLEY / FOR THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL ?? Firefighte­rs pour water on the charred rafters at Trinity Lutheran Church at 1046 North 9th Street in Milwaukee.
CHRIS KOHLEY / FOR THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Firefighte­rs pour water on the charred rafters at Trinity Lutheran Church at 1046 North 9th Street in Milwaukee.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States