Sunday fire leads to hours-long Hwy. 51 shutdown

Wausau Pilot & Review

A portion of southbound Hwy. 51 was closed to traffic for five hours on Sunday while crews battled a blaze that started in a storage garage in Arbor Vitae.

The blaze was reported at about 6:40 p.m. at 111107 Kern Lane. The four-bay storage garage was engulfed in flames when crews arrived, with several small explosions. Several vehicles near the garage were also on fire, officials said.

The State of Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, State Fire Marshal and the Vilas Sheriff’s Office are investigating the blaze. At least a dozen agencies responded to the blaze with no injuries reported.

Hwy. 51 was reduced to two lanes of traffic for five hours while crews battled the blaze and reopened at about 11:40 p.m., according to the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation.

Damage is estimated at $400,000.

This is a developing story.

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