Pizza Man Fire

UPDATE, January 29, 2010: "Pizza Man fire was arson, authorities say"

Last week's fire that destroyed the east side Milwaukee building that housed the Pizza Man restaurant was arson, according to a statement issued Friday by authorities investigating the blaze.

The fire began in the Black and White Café, which was housed in the same building as Pizza Man, a Milwaukee Fire Department spokeswoman said.

No arrests have been made in the case, officials said. Authorities have not said where in the Black and White Café the fire originated.

A dog trained to find evidence of arson focused on a specific area of the building, prompting investigators to collect evidence that revealed an accelerant had been used to ignite the fire, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice said.

___________________

Pizza Man is history.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee arson investigators and state and federal fire officials have been called to the scene of a blaze that destroyed the building that houses the well-known Pizza Man restaurant Tuesday morning on the city's east side.

The four-alarm fire at the corner of N. Oakland and E. North avenues was reported at 3:33 a.m., according to the city's Fire Department. The fire was declared under control just before 9 a.m.

Crews were able to shut off the building's gas supply just before 7:30 a.m. Firefighters have been dealing with low water pressure and needed help from We Energies to remove nearby power lines that blocked their ladder trucks.

About 150 Milwaukee firefighters were sent to the blaze. All of the building's occupants escaped without injury, and no firefighters have been injured, Milwaukee Fire Department Acting Chief Michael Jones said.

Two parts of the building collapsed as firefighters fought the blaze, Jones said. He said the building was a total loss.

...The building also housed the nightclub CUSH lounge, the Greek restaurant Grecian Delight and the Black and White Cafe.

No Pizza Man?

Gone.

It can't be.

Video, from FOX 6 News: