UPDATE:
As of Thursday, Sept. 17, fire investigators say they are still looking through debris to find a cause for the fire.

Fire destroyed a Lake Hallie business early Friday morning but the owner says he'll stay open.

Wayne Bollinger owns Greener Grass Systems and he says while his office is gone, he and his crew will still be working on lawns. "The appointments are going to be a little tricky to fill here for the next couple of days but once we get up and running with a computer that will all be restored if you need us call us," he added.

Bollinger says he's owned the building since 1990 and was just finishing up some additions and remodeling. "It's hard to believe its one of those calls you never think you'll get and driving up and seeing 20 or 30 fire trucks dowsing your building that's basically a shell is something you'll never forget something i thought wouldn't happen to us."

Chippewa Fire District Chief John Neihart says it only took about an hour and a half to get under control, but he says it took a lot more time to put it out. "When the units left the station, which is about a mile east of the fire, it was pretty evident that we had a working structure fire," he said.

He says by the time fire fighters got to the fire, the roof had already caved in. It took ten water tankers from Chippewa Fire District, Altoona, Township and Cadott because there aren't any hydrants nearby. "I think the fire from what took place the size of the building and everything I'm gonna guess the fire had an hour and a half start on us at least."

Neihart says the building is a total loss and estimates damage at $1 million, or more. But Bollinger says they're still open and he's trying to look at the positives. "At this point it's kind of overwhelming, that's a thought in the back of our minds that this is a stepping stone for us maybe in a way to put something together that is very nice as far as a garden center and offices for our business."

The chief says the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but says looks like an accident.

No one was seriously hurt in the fire. Neihart says one firefighter hurt his thumb.