STEVENS POINT, Wis. — A 23-year-old Stevens Point man was arrested on suspicion of arson on Oct. 9 in connection with a structure fire earlier that day at Graffiti’s Sports Pub in downtown Stevens Point, a Stevens Point arson case that forced the evacuation of 10 tenants and shut down the bar.
TL;DR: Emergency crews responded to the fire at about 10 a.m. on Oct. 9 at Graffiti’s Sports Pub, 912 Main St. The blaze was contained within an hour, with damage mainly to one of two second-floor apartment units. Building owner Troy Hojnacki estimated tens of thousands of dollars in water damage; the bar will be closed at least through the weekend. Three apartment units across two attached buildings were evacuated; two tenants were rescued from a fire escape by ladder, and one tenant was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. The 23-year-old suspect was booked into the Portage County Jail on suspicion of arson and is expected in Portage County Circuit Court on Tuesday. Police have not released his name.
Fire at a downtown landmark
Graffiti’s Sports Pub sits at 912 Main St. in the heart of downtown Stevens Point, a fixture for the central Wisconsin college town. On the morning of Oct. 9, that routine was shattered when fire broke out in the building’s second floor, where two apartment units sit above the bar.
Emergency crews were dispatched at about 10 a.m. Firefighters from the Stevens Point Fire Department, the Plover Fire Department, and the Town of Hull Fire Department were first on scene, and the fire was contained within an hour, according to battalion chief and shift commander Brandon Hageman.
The damage was concentrated in one of the two second-floor apartments, where the fire appears to have originated. But putting it out came at a cost: Hojnacki said the building likely suffered tens of thousands of dollars in water damage, and Graffiti’s will be closed for at least the coming weekend — and likely longer.
Tenants evacuated, two rescued by ladder
Three apartment units across two attached buildings were evacuated, displacing 10 tenants. When first responders arrived, two tenants were trapped on a fire escape and had to be helped to the ground with a ladder, Hageman said.
One tenant who reported smoke inhalation was treated at the scene and taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Hojnacki described a harrowing sequence inside the unit where the fire started: a tenant smelled smoke, opened the door to another tenant’s room in the same unit, and found flames 4 to 5 feet high. The tenant tried to knock the fire down with a fire extinguisher but could not, then went door to door alerting neighbors and helping them get out of the building.
The response drew agencies from across the region: the Stevens Point and Plover police departments, the Amherst Fire District, the Town of Stockton and Town of Rudolph fire departments, Portage County Emergency Medical Services, and Wisconsin Public Service.
Arrest on suspicion of arson
According to a news release from the Stevens Point Police Department, a 23-year-old Stevens Point man was arrested later on Oct. 9 in connection with the fire and booked into the Portage County Jail on suspicion of arson.
Police have not released the man’s name, and the investigation remains ongoing. He is expected to make a court appearance in Portage County Circuit Court on Tuesday.
An arrest on suspicion of arson means investigators believe the fire was deliberately set, but the suspect has been charged with nothing beyond the booking allegation at this stage. Prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges after reviewing the evidence — and the suspect, like anyone accused of a crime, is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
What comes next for the building
For Hojnacki and his tenants, the immediate concern is the building itself. Water damage on the scale he described can take weeks or months to remediate, and the bar’s closure — even a temporary one — hits a downtown business at the start of a busy fall season in a college town.
For the 10 evacuated tenants, the disruption is personal: homes damaged, belongings at risk, and a sudden scramble for somewhere to sleep. Fire officials have not said when the apartments will be cleared for reoccupancy.
As for the criminal case, Tuesday’s court appearance should bring the first public details beyond the police news release — including the suspect’s name and whether prosecutors intend to pursue formal arson charges.
Source: Stevens Point Journal
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested in the Stevens Point pub fire?
A 23-year-old Stevens Point man was arrested Oct. 9 and booked into the Portage County Jail on suspicion of arson. Police have not released his name. The investigation is ongoing.
Where did the fire happen?
At Graffiti’s Sports Pub, 912 Main St. in downtown Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The fire was mainly in one of two apartment units on the building’s second floor.
When did the fire start?
Emergency crews responded at about 10 a.m. on Oct. 9, and the fire was contained within an hour.
Was anyone hurt?
One tenant who reported smoke inhalation was treated at the scene and taken to the hospital by ambulance. Two tenants trapped on a fire escape were rescued by ladder. No fatalities were reported.
How much damage was done?
Building owner Troy Hojnacki estimated tens of thousands of dollars in water damage from fighting the fire. Graffiti’s Sports Pub will be closed at least through the weekend and likely longer.
How many people were evacuated?
Ten tenants were evacuated from three apartment units across two attached buildings.
What happens next in the criminal case?
The suspect is expected to make a court appearance in Portage County Circuit Court on Tuesday. Prosecutors will decide whether to file formal arson charges.
Featured image: Fire department response to a structure fire. Image via ofdgear.net.
