MENASHA, Wis. — Smoke and flames filled the evening sky Sunday as a massive fire at the Whiting Paper Mill burned in Menasha.
What You Need To Know
- Whiting Mill built in 1880’s and vacant since 2016
- Cause of fire hasn’t been determined
- No injuries or spread of fire to nearby houses
- City of Menasha will need to determine next steps for location
On Monday, fire crews continued to hose down hot spots as onlookers came out to get a glimpse of the damage. Menasha’s mayor took in the scene and talked about his town’s rich paper history.
"It feels really sad to look at," said Merkes. "The architecture was great. Just the history that was here that could have been recaptured and created into something unique."
The Whiting Mill and others like it in the area provided great employment opportunities for Menasha residents over the years.
"Making paper is hard, dirty work," said Merkes. "But it helped people throughout our community have good lives. They paid well. They created good family-supporting jobs with good insurance and helped build a community."
The mill closed in 2016. For Menasha, losing employers like Whiting had a ripple effect on the local economy.
Lois and Bob Chabalowski live in Menasha and came to check out the fire damage. They have seen the negative effects of local paper mills shutting down in the area.
"Bob was a dentist in downtown Menasha," said Lois Chabalowski. "We knew people that worked in the mills, and we saw big hits to the practice as the paper people pulled out and went south and went to China."
The fire completely decimated the building, and officials are unsure if they will ever know the cause of the blaze. Local fire crews, led by Neenah/Menasha Fire Rescue, focused their attention on keeping firefighters, residents, and nearby homes safe. Chief Kevin Kloehn knew the old building was too dangerous to enter.
"It’s been vacant for a few years, so we weren’t sure how safe it was to go inside, so the crews fought it from the outside, a defensive attack," said Kloehn.
Nearby houses were evacuated Sunday, and residents returned to their homes on Monday. Victor Gilbert’s grandparents used to own one of the houses next to the mill, and his grandfather worked at Whiting.
"I kind of like it because it was like nostalgia and old. Now it’s going to be nothing," said Gilbert. "You could go under the mill. There was a canal coming out of there, and on Sundays, when the mill wasn’t running, you could go under there and fish because the water slowed down."
Before the fire, Menasha was looking at turning the mill into a residential area and utilizing some of its unique characteristics. Constructed in the 1880’s, the building featured thick wooden beams from the era. Now, it will need to be completely demolished.
"As they say, you have to look towards the future too. Now, the thing is, how do we make this into something the next generation can be proud of?" Asked Merkes. "How do we take this sight and make it into a positive for the community again?"
After a fiery night, where nobody was harmed, leaders will look to build something new for the city, as many take a moment and look back at the Whiting Paper Mill.