ST. FRANCIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- First responders were called to St. Francis de Sales Seminary on Lake Drive Wednesday morning, Aug. 19, for reports of fire inside the walls.
St. Francis Fire Department tells us they were called to the scene around 9:30 a.m. with help from Cudahy, South Milwaukee and the City of Milwaukee.
The building itself was not occupied, but there were several construction workers on-site when it happened as the seminary is currently undergoing a significant restoration project.
According to rector of the seminary Father Luke Strand, crews were working on the front porch of Henni Hall when the fire started. Thankfully, the fire captain tells us the fire did not extend inside the building, but they still need time to assess the damage.
"Any damage to an 1800s building is extensive, but being that it's exterior in nature, things that have to be identified are smoke damage, water damage, things of that nature. So that's all way down the line," Capt. Andrew Jensen said.
Capt. Jensen said it's unclear how many workers were at the seminary at the time of the incident.
Around 10:40 a.m., the Archdiocese of Milwaukee said the fire had been extinguished.
Henni Hall was built in 1856; much of the restoration project is focused on overhauling that 170-year-old building. The project was expected to wrap up by the end of the year. It's unclear at this time if the fire will cause any delays.
The seminary says the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
