Officials said a popular Richland Center bowling ally is a total loss after a fire on Tuesday.
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Firefighters battled wind and two received minor injuries battling a blaze that the fire chief called one of the worst fires he has faced in his 30-year career.
The hardest part for many on Tuesday was dealing with the loss of Center Lanes, a popular gathering spot for the community.
The former owner Ken Hansen said it is hard to find words to describe the loss.
"It was a family business. My mother in-law and father in-law built it in 1959," Hansen said. "We ended up working for the family and carried on the business until 1983. And then we sold it to Tom and his wife, and he's owned it ever since."
Hansen said the loss is a blow to the entire community.
"(If) you don't have a bowling alley and a golf course, you don't got much else to do," he said.
According to the Richland Center Fire Department chief, someone saw the fire and called police. Authorities sent an officer to the scene and five people who were getting ready to open the business were evacuated.
"The officer that arrived on scene went in and told the people that the back of the building was on fire and that they needed to evacuate. They weren't even aware of the fire," said Robert Bindl, chief at the Richland Center Fire Department.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. The blaze took more than two hours to put out because of wind. The building is a complete loss, WISC-TV reported.
Heavy smoke shut down Highway 14 for hours. Authorities said traffic was rerouted and that a nearby home was evacuated.
Even with backup, firefighters battled the blaze for two hours.
"The wind was a major factor. It was blowing everything right against us. It was just a hard fire to fight," Bindl said.
Always a bowling alley, current owner Tom Hauber turned Center Lanes into a social hub.
The local Chamber of Commerce said that the fire destroyed one of the town's most profitable businesses.
"There is a banquet center, wedding receptions are held here. It affects just about every aspect of the community. I can't think of anybody here that has not been to the bowling alley at one time or another," said Susan Price, director of the Richland Center Chamber of Commerce.
The former owner said he just hopes Center Lanes can be rebuilt.
"It is going to be hard to replace," Hansen said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, WISC-TV reported. The Wisconsin fire marshal will start investigating Wednesday.
WISC-TV and Channel 3000 were unable to contact owner Tom Hauber, but friends said he is devastated.
The fire chief said that Hauber was so overcome that they had to keep him from running into the burning building.
Long Rock and Muscoda fire departments assisted in putting out the blaze.
