At approximately 3pm on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 ~ Polk County fire dispatchers paged the Cushing, Miltown, and St. Croix Falls Fire Departments to respond to a house fire at 2322 E. Twin Lakes Ave in Eureka, WI.
The house, located on Twin Lake in Eureka, was occupied by and elderly woman and her husband: Micky and Ben, who did not give their last name, but were safely away from the house when firefighters arrived.
As you can see from these images, the massive plumbs of smoke were an indication that the fire was big and as it turned out, had engulfed the entire house and started several grass fires around the house and adjacent properties.
As we arrived on location, the fire department had blocked off all access to the burning structure, which was located on a long shared driveway on the north side of Twin Lake. We were, however, able to access the adjacent property where a large grass fire was spreading in a neighbors field about 200 yards from the house fire.
Blowing smoke from the burning house and grass were visibly very thick which kept firefighters on high alert for changing winds as hotspots continued pop up even after they had been extinguished earlier.
From the neighbors yard, we could only see smoke billowing over the trees where a house once stood.
Soon, the St. Croix Falls fire department arrived with precious water. Fighting rural fires is more complex than in a city. Here, fire departments must bring their own water, as there are no hydrants nearby.
A member of the Milltown Fire Department prepared to go into the woods to spray the spreading brush fire while a neighbor looks on. From a staging area in the neighbors yard, Milltown Firefighters pull hoses from their truck into the burning woods.
From about 25 feet into the woods, facing the burning home, you can see the line of fire about 75 feet from the neighbors house. Getting this fire out, meant protecting another house from catching fire.
Members of the St. Croix Falls Fire Department spray and monitor the grass fire for any hot spots that may flare up as the wind blew.
Relying on a tanker truck, firefighters move along the driveway to where they find a flare up.
Looking up the driveway towards what once was someones home, we only see an endless trail of tankers delivering water to put out a devastating fire.
The fires ominous smoke drew many curious people who wanted to know what was going on. We spoke to Jean Can a Fax ~
The street was at a standstill with fire trucks from 3 fire departments taking turns fighting the fire and delivering water. One local business brought bottled water for the firemen to drink while they took breaks from the heat.
Once allowed near the home, we came across the fire departments water transfer pool that allows tanker trucks to feed the pumper trucks water that it delivers the firemen fighting the fire.
From this vantage point, which is a close as the Fire Department would allow us to go, we could only see a collapsed shell of the home that once stood in the shadow of such beautiful surroundings. This is a tragedy that is only bearable because no one was hurt.
As the St. Croix Falls team arrives to help at the house, yet another tanker fills the pool with water.
As we were leaving the scene, Polk Burnett arrived to shut down the power and make sure everything was safe on site.
Local resident and neighbor Victory Green spent some time discussing what happened just moments before she heard an explosion and called 911. Instinctively, Ms. Green drove down to see if Mickey and Ben were ok and found them coming away from their home unharmed, but in shock as they watched it burning in front of them.
According to Ms. Green, Mickey was in the house when she heard a noise outside near the propane grill she had been recently using. She went outside to see what had happened and found the house in flames. After trying unsuccessfully to put out the fire, she left to find her husband who was taking a walk.
Mickey speculated that a bear that had been seen moments before may have toppled the grill, but nothing has been confirmed.
As firefighters fill out their report, Mickey and Ben try to piece together what happened. No, they dont have their home and probably lost some special things, but things can be replaced and luckily they have each other.
Im Kirk Anderson, reporting from Eureka, for Wisconsin News.
Loading...
10:01
5 23 09 Barn Fireby 570lib14,878 views
Link to this comment:
All Comments (0)