The New Berlin Fire Department has confirmed as many as 50 people were inside the OAW Sports Complex when the roof partially collapsed Tuesday night. Heavy rain was in the area around 7:47 p.m. when firefighters were dispatched to the complex at 5330 S. Racine Ave.”I would think it should not have happened. What caused it exactly? It looks like from what I’m hearing, it was like a big lake up there. The water did not get off the roof, or at least didn’t get off fast enough,” New Berlin Mayor Dave Ament said. According to a news release from the fire department, the building’s owner was onsite and confident everyone got out of the building after watching the complex’s security camera footage.We Energies responded to the scene to assist with electrical power and natural gas shut-off. According to the release, the building was deemed to be “very unsafe” and currently no one is allowed inside. Structural engineers as well as the city of New Berlin Inspection Department are working to determine the cause of the collapse. The release stated that heavy rain and weather are a “huge factor in this incident.”Wednesday, the OAW Sports Complex released a statement thanking the community for an outpouring of support following the collapse. “My mom called me out to the living room and showed me an image of the whole entire just roof collapsed. And it didn’t look pretty. I’ll tell you that, OAW Sports Complex user Mason Gross said.Like so many in the area, Gross, a youth baseball player, was just starting to appreciate the new facility, and now it’s gone indefinitely.”What’s most important to us is that no one was injured as a result of the incident. Everyone in the complex evacuated safely,” said Aaron Kahle, co-owner of OAW Indoor and whose construction company built the building. “We are committed to finding the cause and making repairs so that the complex can reopen and continue serving the community.”The facility just opened in October.
The New Berlin Fire Department has confirmed as many as 50 people were inside the OAW Sports Complex when the roof partially collapsed Tuesday night.
Heavy rain was in the area around 7:47 p.m. when firefighters were dispatched to the complex at 5330 S. Racine Ave.
“I would think it should not have happened. What caused it exactly? It looks like from what I’m hearing, it was like a big lake up there. The water did not get off the roof, or at least didn’t get off fast enough,” New Berlin Mayor Dave Ament said.
According to a news release from the fire department, the building’s owner was onsite and confident everyone got out of the building after watching the complex’s security camera footage.
We Energies responded to the scene to assist with electrical power and natural gas shut-off.
According to the release, the building was deemed to be “very unsafe” and currently no one is allowed inside.
Structural engineers as well as the city of New Berlin Inspection Department are working to determine the cause of the collapse.
The release stated that heavy rain and weather are a “huge factor in this incident.”
Wednesday, the OAW Sports Complex released a statement thanking the community for an outpouring of support following the collapse.
“My mom called me out to the living room and showed me an image of the whole entire just roof collapsed. And it didn’t look pretty. I’ll tell you that, OAW Sports Complex user Mason Gross said.
Like so many in the area, Gross, a youth baseball player, was just starting to appreciate the new facility, and now it’s gone indefinitely.
“What’s most important to us is that no one was injured as a result of the incident. Everyone in the complex evacuated safely,” said Aaron Kahle, co-owner of OAW Indoor and whose construction company built the building. “We are committed to finding the cause and making repairs so that the complex can reopen and continue serving the community.”
The facility just opened in October.
