Grainger Hall fire caused by cigarette
MADISON -- After a day of investigation, authorities revealed discarded cigarette butts as the cause of the fire that sparked a mass evacuation of the University of Wisconsin’s Grainger Hall.

 

 

 

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Man Killed In Single-Vehicle Crash In Town Of Dunn
TOWN OF DUNN, Wis. -- A 21-year-old man was killed early Saturday morning in a single-vehicle crash in the Town of Dunn.

The crash occurred on Lake Kegonsa Road, near U.S. Highway 51. Dane County sheriff's deputies, McFarland police and Stoughton firefighters and EMS responded to the crash at about 5:22 a.m.

Fire Damages Garage and Contents
MADISON -- Fire damaged an attached garage and its contents at 5430 Greening Lane tonight. The owner was watching TV when he heard a noise in the garage. As he opened the door leading to the garage he discovered the smoke and fire. The man closed the door, left the house, and summoned help. Firefighters were dispatched at 7:19 PM.

County Board pushes split costs for DaneCom
After Mike Willett's last shot at getting the county to pay for DaneCom's annual costs failed Thursday night, he decided if he can't beat 'em he might as well join 'em.

The County Board supervisor from Verona made the first motion of the night on a board resolution regarding DaneCom, the proposed countywide radio system that has been the source of major disagreements regarding cost-sharing. Willett, who had co-sponsored a competing resolution that didn't make it out of committee, asked that all references to cost-sharing be removed from County Board Resolution 233 - effectively turning it into his buried resolution - but it failed 24-11 despite an extended debate.

Get ‘DaneCom’ done
Dane County is home to a slew of police, fire and other emergency responders representing some 60 units of government.

When disaster strikes, these dedicated professionals -- sheriff's deputies, firefighters, paramedics and snowplow drivers -- need radios that can talk to one another.

Deadline to install carbon monoxide alarms for commercial-residential buildings approaches
Time is running out for commercial-residential buildings with fuel-burning appliances in Wisconsin to get carbon monoxide alarms, including motels, apartment buildings, dorms and jails.

These type of buildings constructed as of Oct. 1, 2008 or later were already required to have the alarms installed, but buildings existing before that date have until April 1 of this year to get them in place.

State assembly passes carbon monoxide detector bill
Madison (WQOW) - The Wisconsin State Assembly passed Senate Bill 415 with a bipartisan vote of 67 to 29 today. Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) was the lead sponsor for the Carbon Monoxide Detector Bill which requires carbon monoxide detectors to be placed in buildings containing one or two dwelling units. Earlier today this legislation passed the Senate. The next step will be for this bill to go to Governor Doyle to be signed into law.

Madison Fire Department Memorial Flag
MADISON -- Press Release from the Madison Fire Department:

The City of Madison Fire Department is establishing a new tradition with the adoption of a Memorial Flag. The idea came from retired Madison firefighter Richard “Butch” Butler. Butler shared his idea with Fire Chief Debra Amesqua, and with her support carried the project through to completion.

Nail salon damaged by fire
WATERTOWN -- A downtown business and some adjoining apartments sustained nearly $100,000 in damages early this morning because of a blaze, according to Water-town assistant fire Chief Kraig Biefeld.

Biefeld said the Watertown Fire Department was notified of the blaze at Art Nail Salon, 11 E. Main St., today at 1:42 a.m. and when firefighters arrived at the building they were told that a 3-year-old might have been in an upstairs apartment.

Janesville Police and Fire Commission continues fire chief hiring process
JANESVILLE — The city should have a new fire chief by November.

Fire Chief Larry Grorud, the longest-serving fire chief in Janesville history, announced earlier that he is retiring. His last day on the job will be Nov. 30, said Leslie Brunsell, Janesville Police and Fire Commission chairperson.

Fire destroys garage in the Town of Beloit
TOWN OF BELOIT -- A home in the Town of Beloit sustained significant damage overnight in a fire.

Town of Beloit firefighters got help from the Town of Turtle Fire Department in putting out a fire at 2845 Riverside Drive. Units responded around 7:30 Wednesday night and found the attached garage fully involved. They were able to stop the fire from getting into the house.

Car goes up in flames
HUDSON -- A car belonging to Linda Bergeon caught fire and burned shortly after she started it Wednesday morning, March 3.

The older model Pontiac Bonneville was engulfed in flames when the Hudson Fire Department arrived at Bergeon’s residence at 703 ½ S. 13th St. at about 8 a.m.

Town of Menasha woman escapes fire
MENASHA (WFRV) - Fire crews battled an overnight blaze at a Town of Menasha residence.

The fire call came in around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. Police tell Channel 5 flames were shooting out of the mobile home in the 800 block of Shady Lane, when they arrived on scene.

Woman airlifted after milk truck hits car
STRATFORD (WAOW)--Just after 11:00 AM on Thursday, a woman was airlifted to the St. Joseph's hospital in Marshfield after a milk truck struck her car, this according to Marathon County Lt. Dale Wisnewski.

Fire destroys Wolf River home
TOWN OF WOLF -- A town of Wolf River woman and her four dogs are homeless today after fire swept through their rural home Tuesday afternoon.

Homeowner Doris Hoopingarner reported the fire at her home at N2711 Sunny Waters Lane to the Langlade County emergency dispatch center at 1:37 p.m. Sheriff deputies and firefighters were on the scene within minutes and found the one-story, log-sided house “fully engulfed,” according to Wolf River Assistant Chief Ryan Brown.

Jury selection starts today for former Appleton firefighter Scott Schmidt accused of slaying wife Kelly Wing Schmidt
APPLETON — A former Appleton firefighter will not be allowed to seek a lesser conviction by arguing that he killed his wife to prevent adultery, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

Scott E. Schmidt, 39, appeared in Outagamie County Court for his final pretrial hearing.

Westby-Christiana Fire puts service charge on back burner
WESTBY -- The Westby-Christiana Fire District, began discussions, but is leaning away from charging a direct fee for fire calls as a means of collecting a reimbursement for responding to fire and accident calls.

Volunteer firefighter helps couple escape burning home
WHITING -- Emergency Response Hero 2010: Matt Schoonover, Plover

Nominated by: Daniel Kontos, Fire Chief, village of Whiting

Award sponsored by: Delta Dental of Wisconsin

Nov. 3, 2009, started out as any day. Matthew Schoonover, Department of Natural Resources Forestry Technician-Advanced, was at the Whiting DNR Ranger Station when his pager went off. Matt also serves as a volunteer firefighter for the village of Whiting.

Body found in Trempealeau County pickup truck fire
WHITEHALL, Wisconsin (WXOW) - Trempealeau County investigators are trying to determine the identity of a person found inside a burning pickup truck early Tuesday morning.

Fire call causes evacuation of Forest Mall
FOND DU LAC -- An estimated 100 shoppers were evacuated from stores at Forest Mall shopping center at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday because of problems associated with a malfunctioning light fixture.

The Fond du Lac Fire Department was called to the scene at 6:23 p.m. for a report of a chandelier dripping fire.

Person injured in Manitowoc fire
MANITOWOC - One person was burned in an apartment fire Friday in Manitowoc.

The Manitowoc Fire Department says the fire happened in an apartment above Kenny B's Tavern on Washington Street shortly after 9:30 pm.

Airway Injury Plaguing 9/11 First Responders
THURSDAY, March 4 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that airway injuries account for the asthma that has afflicted many New York City Fire Department rescue workers who were exposed to dust from the World Trade Center collapse.

The dust appears to be causing symptoms similar to those seen in decades past in miners exposed to toxins, said Dr. Michael D. Weiden, a New York City fire department medical officer and lead author of the new study on the lung problems of the 9/11 rescue workers.

 

Timmonsville firefighters resign over principle, not money
TIMMONSVILLE — Members of the Timmonsville volunteer fire department reached their boiling point Tuesday night at the town council meeting.

Stanley Matthews and a few other firefighters handed in their gear and walked out of town hall out of frustration that their $4,700 bill from service in 2009, due for payment in December, still hasn’t been paid by council.

DTE: Illegal power hookup resumed hours before fatal fire
DETROIT -- Someone inside the now-charred home on Detroit’s Bangor Street was determined to keep the electricity flowing.

Within hours of DTE Energy cutting off service to the home because it had been hooked up illegally for months, two locks that had been placed by the utility on the electric meter box had been cut off — and power was restored.

Bennington firefighter charged in arson case
BENNINGTON, Vt. -- Police say a local firefighter charged with arson told them he set fire to his wife's home to collect insurance money to pay for surgery that would allow her to become pregnant.

D.C. paramedics' response studied in child's death
WASHINGTON D.C. -- D.C. fire officials are investigating the death of a Southeast Washington child who died hours after a paramedic responding to a 911 call complaining that the child was having trouble breathing told the mother to run a hot shower to clear the congestion from the child's lungs.

Wanted: A new Lakeville fire chief
LAKEVILLE -- The smoke has cleared and Lakeville administrators have come to a definitive conclusion: The city needs a full-time fire chief.

  • L-O-D-D Delaware - Brian P. Waynant, Sr., Firefighter/Inspector, Wilmington Fire Dept., Wilmington, DE

If Prometheus was worthy of the wrath of heaven for kindling the first fire upon earth, how ought all the gods honor the people who make it their professional business to put it out?  ~John Godfrey Saxe

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