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2 brothers charged after Wisconsin plant fire

By ASSOCIATED PRESS Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 11:59 a.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Two brothers in southeastern Wisconsin have been charged following a fire that caused $50 million in damage to a meatpacking plant.

Twenty-five-year-old Kurtis Popp of Milwaukee and 23-year-old Joshua Popp of Twentynine Palms, Calif. were charged Thursday with second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Prosecutors say the brothers fired a military-grade flare this month that landed on a Patrick Cudahy building. It sparked a fire that raged for more than two days and forced a 12-hour evacuation of the neighborhood over concerns about ammonia fumes.

No one was hurt.

Julius Kim represents Kurtis Popp. He says his client feels horribly and never meant to cause any harm.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

reader COMMENTS

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(2)

ljs64
Jul 23, 2009 at 1:53 p.m.
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Could happen to anyone that fires a military-grade flare at a building. Plus no one was hurt and only 50 million in damage.

janesvillean
Jul 23, 2009 at 12:27 p.m.
Suggest removal

I've been wondering whether the military flare was pilfered, which could mean Leavenworth (for the guy stationed in California). I haven't seen any reporting alone those lines, though.

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