The Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was evacuated last week due to a fire located near the HVAC system located on the facility’s roof.
According to WISN 12 News, thick, black smoke poured from the rooftop, with many building occupants reported smelling the smoke prior to being evacuated. No injuries were reported.
In a press release, the casino said that the fire damage was contained to the HVAC system. Its backup HVAC system remained fully operational.
Nearly 90 firefighters, paramedics and fire commanders responded to the fire within six minutes of the initial 911 call. According to TMJ4, the fire was declared fully under control in less than an hour.
Hours after the fire broke out, Potawatomi reopened the casino after the Milwaukee Fire Department confirmed the building was safe for guests and employees.
There are over 100,000 nonresidential building fires each year, resulting in $2 billion in direct property damage, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Similar to other building systems, fire safety systems also need to be regularly maintained to ensure safety.
Mackenna Moralez is the managing editor of the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
