Man Charged In Waukesha July 4 Fireworks Fire

WAUKESHA, WI — A Waukehsa man has been arrested and charged in court after authorities say he's the person responsible for the spent fireworks that led to a garage fire on the 200 block of Tenny Ave.

Police say a 26-year-old Waukesha man was arrested and charged with obstructing an officer in connection with Thursday night's incident.

The City of Waukesha Fire Department responded at just after 12:30 a.m. Friday to a reported garage fire at 237 Tenny Ave. Crews arrived on scene and saw visible flames climbing the exterior of a detached garage at that address. Fire officials said firefighters quickly brought the fire under control several minutes later.

The Waukesha fire department said that the fire started in the trash cans that were stored on the exterior of the garage. Fire officials said people were shooting off fireworks approximately an hour before the incident, but all people questioned by the Police and Fire Department denied placing anything in the trash can where the fire started.

Police told Patch that the man was lighting off fireworks, and put the remains in the trash can which eventually caught on fire. Police said the man denied having fireworks, but that witnesses statements and the evidence contradicted his story.

An initial damage estimate is estimated at $30,000.