Explosions and Fire Heavily Damage Facility in Midwest

Several explosions ignited a five-alarm blaze Thursday morning at the Summerset Marine Construction facility in Eagle, WI, promoting a response from area fire departments.

The first blast was reported at about 7:45 a.m., and then multiple explosions happened while flames burned, a local Fox News affiliate reported. 24 workers were inside the structure at the time of the incident.

Six people received injuries, including three employees. An unidentified employee told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the fire and explosion started in a welding bay at the location. A company official said in the newspaper's account that the building was apparently a total loss.

“We are working closely with OSHA and the Bureau of ATF conducting a full investigation to discover what caused the explosion,” Summerset Marine Construction said in a statement posted Friday to its Facebook page. “We assure our staff, their families, and our customers that we are doing everything possible to quickly relocate and keep everyone employed and provided for to the utmost of our ability.”

The post indicates that the firm intends to rebuild the facility.

Summerset Marine Construction’s website describes the company as “the largest pier and lift dealer in Wisconsin.”