Posted: Dec. 5, 2009

Genesee - A fire Saturday caused an estimated $1 million in damage to the Genesee Center, S47-W30760 Highway 59 in Genesee, a North Prairie fire official says.

The property is owned by state Rep. Scott Newcomer (R-Pewaukee).

A Waukesha County sheriff's deputy saw smoke coming from the area of Highways 59 and 83 about 5:30 a.m. Saturday and then found the fire in the Genesee Center commercial building, the Sheriff's Department said.

The center includes Lake Country Pool & Spa, a hair studio and a woodworking shop, said Brian Taylor, assistant chief of the North Prairie Fire Department.

Fire departments from North Prairie, Dousman, the City of Delafield, Oconomowoc, Wales/Genesee, Town of Waukesha, Mukwonago, Eagle and Tess Corners assisted in extinguishing the fire, the Sheriff's Department said. The North Prairie department was in charge at the scene.

Fire officials were still on the scene at 2 p.m. Saturday, but they declined comment.

Newcomer said he bought the building about 18 months ago as an investment. A Waukesha County sheriff's investigator told him the cause of the fire was most likely electrical but might have been the furnace, Newcomer said.

Excessive smoke damage will keep the building shuttered for some time, and both sheriff's investigators and insurance adjusters will be back on the scene Monday or Tuesday, Newcomer said.

"The best part of the day was that nobody got hurt," he said. "It's just a tough time. We'll get through it day by day."