Wisconsin woman’s Snapchat confession alleges lit cigarette caused nearly $1m in damages

Ellen Stevens, a 22-year-old Milwaukee, Wisconsin resident, faces criminal charges after prosecutors say a lit cigarette she discarded inside a vacant building sparked a five-alarm fire that caused nearly $1 million in damage. Authorities say the fire broke out on May 20, 2026, at an abandoned four-story warehouse near 32nd Street and Hampton Avenue in Milwaukee.

Investigators allege Stevens and three other people entered the building shortly before the fire. Surveillance video cited in a criminal complaint shows the group inside and leaving about 30 minutes before smoke was first reported. Fire crews responded to multiple 911 calls and found heavy flames spreading through all four floors of the structure.

The Milwaukee Fire Department battled the blaze for roughly 17 hours with assistance from multiple agencies. Parts of the building collapsed during firefighting efforts, and officials later deemed the structure a total loss. Court filings value the building at approximately $975,800 in damages. Demolition crews have since begun removing the remaining structure, according to local reporting.

Stevens is unclear on what happened

Prosecutors charged Stevens with negligent handling of burning material, a misdemeanor offense, rather than arson. Officials said investigators do not believe she intended to start the fire. If convicted, Stevens faces up to nine months in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

The case gained attention after investigators reviewed Snapchat messages allegedly tied to Stevens. According to a criminal complaint and reporting from Milwaukee outlets, Stevens posted a photo of herself inside the building with a caption stating, “I may or may not have lit the bando on fire today on accident.” The term “bando” refers to an abandoned building. Authorities also say she later posted a photo of the fire scene with the caption “devastating.”

Investigators say Stevens later admitted she tossed a lit cigarette through an opening in the roof while inside the building. She reportedly told police she believed the group had extinguished the smoking debris after stomping on it, then left the property. The fire started roughly 20 minutes after they exited.

Court records show Stevens made her initial court appearance on May 26, 2026. A court commissioner entered a not guilty plea on her behalf because she did not yet have legal representation. The court set a $250 bond, which she posted, and imposed conditions that prohibit her from possessing any smoking materials, including cigarettes.

As of this week, Stevens remains charged and awaits further proceedings, with her next court date scheduled for July 2026, according to court records and local reporting. She has not personally entered a formal plea and has not publicly commented beyond limited statements given to local media shortly after her arrest.

Authorities continue to treat the case as a negligence-based incident rather than an intentional act. Fire officials have not reported any injuries, but the blaze caused extensive structural loss and required a major multi-agency response that stretched city fire resources for hours.