A rooftop fire forced the evacuation of IKEA in Oak Creek midday Wednesday, April 15.
The Oak Creek Fire Department responded to 7500 S. Ikea Way around 11 a.m. for reports of a fire on the roof, according to a news release from the department. When fire crews arrived, the flames, which were confined to a solar panel, were already out.
Employees had extinguished the fire by the time firefighters arrived, Scott Kasten, battalion chief for the Oak Creek Fire Department said. “We had to manage the situation and wait for some maintenance personnel to de-energize the system,” he said.
The building was evacuated as a precaution, the release said. Kasten wasn’t sure exactly how long the building remained closed to the public, but said it had reopened.
“IKEA did a great job with (the evacuation),” Kasten said, noting the company had a prerecorded announcement that played to quickly clear the 290,000-square-foot store.
There were no injuries to firefighters or shoppers, according to the release, and the cause is still under investigation.
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