Furnace fire temporarily closes Waukesha Antique Mall as repairs commence

WAUKESHA - A faulty furnace triggered a fire in the attic of the Waukesha Antique Mall on Tuesday, causing an unknown amount of smoke damage and interrupting business operations temporarily.

No one was seriously injured in the late morning fire, but two people were treated at the scene after firefighters were initially told one person was unaccounted for after it started, the Waukesha Fire Department said in a news release.

Penny Olson, one of the business' owners, said Wednesday that the faulty furnace unit was one of three installed in the attic of the building. The damage to the attic and ceiling over the sales floor was significant enough to force the business into undertaking some significant repairs.

"We're going to be closed probably a couple of weeks ... with the repairs we have to make," Olson said. "We have to get new furnaces, we have to get the duct work all cleaned, the ceiling tiles will have to be all pulled down and put back up."

Waukesha Assistant Fire Chief Joe Hoffman said the department was told that the furnace, which had recently been repaired, again malfunctioned, causing an attic fire that potentially threatened the entire 16,000-square-foot building at 1427 E. Racine Ave., part of the Golden Gate Centre. The smoke itself was a problem.

"The fire charged the entire antique mall with smoke," Hoffman said. "After 60 minutes of operations fire personnel were able to adequately ventilate the smoke in the building and ensure no further loss."

The business, which features the wares of a variety of owners, leases space in the building in which it has operated for 12 years.

Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at  @jariccioli.