Greenfield Fire Firefighters Battled Happy Hobby Blaze

A New Year’s Eve fire that destroyed a West Allis hobby store required firefighters from eight different municipalities, including Greenfield.

The Greenfield Fire Department responded to the mutual aid call at around 10 p.m. Monday, and firefighters helped battle the blaze of Happy Hobby near West 80th Street and National Avenue until after 2 a.m.

Cold temperatures made fire-fighting conditions difficult.

“It made the streets and everywhere the water touched frozen,” Greenfield Lt. David Stabbe said. “It was like a skating pond. … As soon as you start slowing down everything freezes.”

West Allis Division of Public Works crews salted the area to help keep firefighters from slipping, Stabbe said.

The building was built in 1940 and assessed at $162,700, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The newspaper also said most of the contents of the store were destroyed, an estimated loss of $140,000.

“It’s a total loss,” Stabbe said. “It doesn’t have a roof any more. It’s unfortunate that we weren’t able to do more, but you can only do so much when you show up and flames and smoke are coming through the roof.”

The store was closed and no injuries were reported.