ELLISON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A building-wide fire has shut down Rowleys Bay Resort in Door County and caused significant damage to the building.
The fire broke out at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Chris Hecht, chief of the Sister Bay Liberty Grove Fire Department, said the first units who arrived on scene found heavy smoke and flames coming from the building’s basement and first floor.
Every Door County fire department responded to the fire.
Based on the size of the resort and the amount of involvement, Hecht said, the call was “quickly upgraded” and crews from Brown and Kewaunee counties are assisting in the efforts, including a Brown County strike team.
A private excavating company is on scene. “Because of the size of the building and the structural compromise of the floors, it was unsafe for us to put anybody in there, so we went ahead and had some excavators come in,” Hecht explained.
Hecht said everyone is accounted for and that no resort staff, guests, or firefighters were injured.
If you have a reservation at Rowleys Bay Resort, you are asked to make alternate arrangements. If you cannot find alternate arrangements, you can leave a message at (920) 421-3005.
All resort and food service departments will be closed until further notice.
According to the resort’s website, the property has 100 acres, and is within 700 feet of Lake Michigan.