Fire at Bass Bay Brewhouse in Muskego, building a total loss

It burned for hours and hours. Now there’s not much left of Muskego’s Bass Bay Brewhouse.

MUSKEGO, Wis. - It burned for hours and hours. Now there’s not much left of Muskego’s Bass Bay Brewhouse.

Family did not want to talk to FOX6 today, and understandably so.

Not only did their restaurant burn down, they lost their home, too.

Bass Bay Brewhouse

Friday morning fire

What we know:

At around 6 a.m. Friday morning, Dec. 12, Steve Drobot looked out his window and saw the blaze.

"They were intense. They were bright. You could tell this was a fire that would be tough for anybody to control," said Drobot.

For hours, crews from more than a dozen departments rushed to put out the flames.

"The sky was orange. When you looked over from our second floor the sky was orange," said Katie Esterle.

Bass Bay Brewhouse

The Tess Corners Fire Department said the freezing temperatures and lack of nearby hydrants proved challenging.

"Right away it’s heartbreaking to see that happen to such a special place," added Esterle.

Neighbors worried for Bass Bay Brewhouse’s owner. His family lives in a house attached to the restaurant.

Muskego police say the family was taken to a hospital for quote, "precautionary reasons."

Bass Bay Brewhouse

What we know:

Investigators say the building is a total loss, leaving behind only memories of a place people in Muskego gathered at for decades.

"I think a lot of people in the community have memories like that. My daughter’s first communion dinner was there," said Esterle.

It’s a business that meant so much to so many.

"Muskego is a wonderful community. They will rally around the family and support them. I know that is going to happen," said Esterle.

Neighbors told FOX6 they heard a loud popping sound in the morning.

Dispatch recordings indicate first responders heard it too and went looking for propane tanks.

At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown.

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Bass Bay Brewhouse

A fire broke out at Bass Bay Brewhouse in Muskego on Friday morning, Dec. 12.

The Source: This post was produced by FOX6 News with information from Muskego police and Tess Corners Fire Department.