PEMBINE, WI (WTAQ) – A historic railroad depot in Pembine has been destroyed following a fire Monday morning.
Authorities say that two teens have been arrested for the blaze.
According to the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office, the boys are ages 14 and 16, and are both from the Pembine area.
At this time, no other information has been released regarding their involvement.
Crews were called to the depot along Highway 141 just before 10:45 a.m., according to Sergeant Randy Miller of the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office.
“When I arrived on scene, the building was almost fully engulfed,” says Miller. “There was fire presented on the sides, coming out through the roof area, and you could see that it was actively involved.”
Jo Mischker, the owner of the nearby Silver Dollar Bar, says black smoke and flames shot up from the building.
Her main concern was the fire spreading.
“The electric pole started on fire, and then the fire started running up into the wire itself, and the wire ended up coming down on the ground — the hot wire — landing on the railroad tracks, so they said we had to stay away from the tracks and the train because they were hot.”
According to Miller, Highway 141 was closed for about 20-25 minutes, because the wire fell on the road and utility crews needed to remove it.
The community is lamenting the loss of the historic building as sheriff’s officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire.
Mischker believes the depot was built in the late 19th century.
“The fact that it’s always been there and it was just an icon in the town,” she said. “There are so many things that have already disappeared from town that were here years ago, and to have another piece of history gone is pretty sad.”
Community members say the building was not currently being used as a depot, while the railroad line through Pembine remains active.
No one was injured in the fire.
Anyone with information about the fire should contact the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office at (715) 732-7600.
