SALEM LAKES, Wis. — A Salem Lakes family lost their home, a family business, and three beloved pets Saturday morning after a fast-moving fire tore through a residence on Shorewood Drive, prompting a large multi-agency response and a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) activation, a regional mutual-aid network that allows fire departments to quickly summon personnel and equipment from neighboring communities.
Firefighters were dispatched to 7718 Shorewood Drive shortly after 5:15 a.m. for a reported structure fire. Initial reports indicated a dog and two cats were still inside the home and that smoke and flames were visible from the residence.
According to scanner traffic, a deputy initially reported smoke coming from the home. Minutes later, firefighters reported smoke and flames showing from the structure and upgraded the response. At approximately 5:28 a.m., MABAS Box 58-01 was elevated to the Box Alarm level, bringing additional resources from both Wisconsin and Illinois departments.
By approximately 5:35 a.m., command reported heavy fire throughout the structure and advised units would likely remain on scene for at least two hours. Water supply operations were established at the Silver Lake boat launch while crews conducted an offensive attack on the blaze.
The main body of the fire was reportedly knocked down by approximately 5:55 a.m. The Kenosha County Fire Investigation Task Force was requested shortly afterward, and the box alarm was struck out at approximately 6:40 a.m.
In a public Facebook post, homeowner Angelique Muchka described the loss as overwhelming, writing that her business, animals, and much of her life’s work had been destroyed. She also expressed frustration with what she believed was a delayed emergency response.
Salem Lakes Fire Chief Al Carr strongly disputed claims that firefighters took approximately 30 minutes to arrive after the fire was reported. Carr said dispatch records, radio traffic, and incident documentation show Salem Lakes Fire Rescue was dispatched shortly after 5:15 a.m., that firefighters arrived within minutes, and that suppression efforts began immediately upon arrival.
Carr acknowledged that one responding apparatus experienced a brief delay because of a passing freight train but said other Salem Lakes units and personnel had already arrived and were actively engaged in firefighting operations.
A fundraiser created by Muchka’s daughter, Alysia Muchka, states that the fire destroyed the family’s home and all of its contents. The fundraiser further states that two cats and one dog died in the fire and that a son living at the residence attempted to rescue the animals but was forced to escape as flames engulfed the home. The family says the fire also destroyed business inventory, equipment, supplies, and products associated with Angel’s Eden, a handcrafted natural skincare business.
The fundraiser additionally alleges that valuable time was lost before firefighting efforts began, allowing the flames to spread through the residence.
Carr said firefighters encountered a rapidly advancing fire upon arrival and immediately initiated firefighting operations while simultaneously establishing a water supply and requesting additional mutual-aid resources through MABAS.
The chief also noted that residential fires discovered during overnight and early morning hours often progress significantly before emergency services are notified, and that crews encountered a substantial fire condition upon arrival. He emphasized that firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers, law enforcement officers, and mutual-aid personnel responded without hesitation and worked aggressively to bring the blaze under control.
Photos posted online by the family show firefighters battling heavy fire conditions as smoke poured from multiple windows of the home.
No civilian injuries have been reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Kenosha County Fire Investigation Task Force.
2 Responses
This is the fundraiser link. Please donate or share! https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-after-the-fire-support-for-our-family-y8u83
Those firefighters worked their butts off trying to save the home. And she has the audacity to criticize their response time? So ungrateful.