A family business in West Allis was consumed in flames early Monday morning.
The fire started at the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe at the corner of 69th and Becher streets, leaving nothing but the frame of the business.
"This cheese store has been here for about 30 to 35 years, and we've owned it for the past five years," co-owner Mark Lutz said. "Even if you replace the building, it will never be the same."
A West Allis police officer spotted the building smoking Monday morning.
"There was smoke coming out of the floor through the chimney," West Allis Assistant Fire Chief Gary Streicher said.
Firefighters acted quickly attacking the fire that started in the basement.
"The first floor started to collapse in the front so we pulled crews out of the front and went to a defensive operation," Streicher said.
"The owners of the building say there was a woman living upstairs, who lost everything, including her pets," 12 News reporter DeMarco Morgan said.
The woman made it out safely. Three of her cats died in the fire.
Everything inside the building was destroyed.
"People come in for specialty cheese. We ship boxes around the country," Lutz said.
Now, customers will have to go to their second location -- the Milwaukee Public Market -- until the place can be rebuilt.
The injured firefighter suffered cuts to his hand, but will be OK, Morgan said.
