Man Arrested After Dumpster Fire Outside Post Office

A 24-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested Feb. 20 for negligent use of burning matter for a fire started in a dumpster outside of the U.S. Postal Service building on St. Francis Drive.

The Menomonee Falls fire and police departments were dispatched about 6 a.m. to the post office at W173N9170 St. Francis Dr. When MFFD arrived, the dumpster was fully engulfed in fire. The MFFD extinguished the fire, and while investigating the fire, police found the 24-year-old man standing outside the neighboring day care smoking a cigarette.

The man didn’t have a jacket or shoes on, was wearing wet blue jeans and had a lighter in his possession. The man said he was locked out of the post office, and admitted to passing by the dumpster several times while looking for a way to get back into the building.

The fire department said the source of the fire was unknown. The man was arrested, booked, cited and later released.