Port Washington Apartment Fire Called 'Suspicious'

Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department detectives are investigating what authorities are calling a "suspicious" apartment fire in Port Washington Thursday night.

Port Washington Police Chief Richard Thomas said it appears the Sheriff's Department already has a "person of interest" in the incident, though no arrests have been made.

The fire broke out at about 7:30 p.m. in a two-story, 10-unit apartment building at 1077 Mineral Springs Dr., said Port Fire Chief Mark Mitchell. Mineral Springs Drive is located off West Sunset Road or County Highway CC, near the BP gas station on South Spring Street.

Port Officer Jerry Nye was the first to arrive at the scene, Thomas said. Noticing the fire coming from the basement, Nye made his way downstairs. He then noticed water pooling on the carpet at the west end of the building, coming from under a door.

He opened the door then quickly closed it after a cloud of smoke began pouring from the room.

"The damage was minimal; no one was hurt," Mitchell said.

The fire was contained to a storage unit in the basement of the building, and the sprinklers set off with the alarm were enough to put the fire out.

Nye, along with Ozaukee County Sheriff's Lt. Rod Gallbraith and other law enforcement officials, canvassed the area and spoke to neighbors as part of the investigation.