9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
At 12:32 p.m. on Sunday, 9-1-1 dispatchers sent the Kenosha Fire Department to the 9400 Block of 69th St in Whitecaps for a structure fire. Eventually KFD personnel decided that the fire was out and they left the home.
Just before 4:30 a.m. yesterday morning, a 9-1-1 call was placed to the Kenosha Fire Department. That same home was on fire, again. The fire also damaged the house next to it and maybe one more.
9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
Within hours, the home was a complete loss. The City sent a transit bus to the home to keep the family warm and they evacuated the homes next door. They also kept warm in the bus. Eventually, the City made the choice to demolish the home.
9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Eye reached out to Fire Chief Dan Tilton and below is his summary of the incidents:
“Kenosha Fire Department crews as well as a crew from the Somers Fire department responded to this call. On initial arrival the first KFD crew’s (Med 1 and Truck 7) found heavy smoke conditions and entered the building to locate the seat of the fire and conduct a search. While conducting interior operations, Med 1 and Truck 7 reported heavy smoke and high heat on the interior. Med 1 reported that the fire was in the basement of the residence but due to the high heat entry into the basement down the stairwell was not possible. The crews also reported that the floors were beginning to feel soft on the first floor. Soon after this report from the interior, the exterior safety officer noted a change in smoke conditions and ordered the evacuation of all KFD crews from the building. KFD crews left the structure and shortly thereafter the first floor collapsed into the basement. Additionally the fire flashed over around this point. KFD crews went into defensive fire operations from this point forward due to the structural collapse.
KFD crews remained on scene in defensive operations with elevated streams and exterior hoselines. The collapsed floor created void spots making it difficult to extinguish the fire. Around 1730 hours the fire was deemed under control with no hotspots showing on thermal imaging. KFD crews began to clear the scene while the fire investigator remained on the scene investigating. A board up crew also arrived on scene to secure the home.
Around 2130 hrs Truck 7 was sent to the home to inspect for any signs of a rekindle. At that time there were no signs of smoke or fire. Later that evening around 0430 smoke and fire were present in the residence and KFD crews were dispatched. KFD crews now found a fully involved structure and began defensive operations and exposure protection. Radiant heat caused exterior damage on the 2 adjacent homes. To assist with reaching all areas of the fire, Public works crews arrived to start dismantling the home and opening voids. A car was able to be pulled from the garage with chains in order to save it from fire damage. Crews remained on scene until the fire was marked controlled.
Fortunately there were no injuries to the residents of the home or KFD, Kenosha public works crews as they fought this fire. The collapse of the floor could have been catastrophic for the interior crews and I am thankful they were able to evacuate the structure before the floor collapsed.
You asked about fires starting again after crews leave. I can assure you that KFD crews do everything possible to thoroughly extinguish fires prior to clearing the scene. However, A rekindle can occur after a fire appears to be extinguished due to unseen hotspots or embers which can remain to smolder. Eventually these hotspots can reignite if conditions are right. Rekindles are common for scenes with structural collapse. Void spots created in the structure make it difficult for water to penetrate and extinguish the fire. The decision was made not to use equipment to demolish the structure during the first call out. The conditions at the time led the on scene commander to believe the fire was extinguished. Fire scenes are dynamic and conditions can and do change. I commend the Firefighters on scene during this call who weathered extreme cold and difficult fire fighting conditions caused by the initial collapse.
Unfortunately, the home is a total loss. Our hearts go out to the family during this difficult time. There is a go fund me page posted on FB for the family if you would like to share and distribute it to others. The cause and origin of this fire are still under investigation.”
9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
“Kenosha. The Hamilton’s had a catastrophic house fire. We need immediate help to get basic needs met. Toiletries. Basic clothes. Food. Some people will say ‘they have insurance’. As a past fire victim I will tell you….you have IMMEDIATE needs which immediately surpass anything insurance may short term give & the rest will not come through for months, if years, said GunFundMe organizer Kristie Kruse. ” Imagine if you worked your entire life for something, to wake up one morning to owning nothing. Please help. All funds collected will go directly to the Hamilton’s. I am past teacher of the kids & friend of Leihla’s. I also am a past fire victim. We lost our home in 2011. Please help their immediate needs. The financial stress of losing everything is unimaginable,” she added.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-relief-for-hamiltons-fire-loss
9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
The GofundMe, at the time of this publication is at $21,720 of the $15,000 goal.
9400 Block of 69th St in Kenosha
26 Responses
Not a firefighter.
Yes. It truly needs to be investigated. Why was it not gone thru ? Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Were they trying to preserve undamaged items from water ?
I do know smoke damage pretty much renders anything a loss. Dry or wet.
How come a truck and two fire fighters didn’t stay on site ? Was it because the water would freeze up ?
Then leave two guys in a pickup truck to just watch for smoke and fire to then call in the troops if necessary.
Those two were free to go anywhere anytime if another call came in.
This needs a thorough investigation
Call the state fire marshal
It shows you are not a firefighter. Didn’t wait to hear a statement from those that know before you started talking out of your ass.
Seems odd to demolish it so quickly, the cause needs to be investigated and demolition prevents it. Doesn’t make sense.
Probably because the structure is so unstable and is dangerous. I’ve seen this done before, in rural areas.
It’s called covering your tracks
Firefighters can save the basement many times, in this case they couldn’t even save the basement….. Good thing they had 50 employees staffing the fire for probably 16 hours over two separate days. They couldn’t even protect the neighbors houses. Stopping a structure fire is their main purpose, and protecting the neighboring properties. Imagine if the police went to an active shooter; and then left the shooter in the building to shoot it up more tomorrow. The fire department has every single piece of equipment, training, and technology it ever asks for and they still never can seem to save a building. They are endowed with the equipment and power to demolish and drown the whole structure with zero accountability. How hard is it to spray some water on heat/flames with your dozen vehicles on site that cost $700,000 each.
Boo Hoo !
Every time I watch a football game on TV where it’s super cold outside and I see those players with bare arms. I say to myself, for the millions they get paid, I would stand outside in the cold too.
Firefighters. It’s their job to do their job !!!!
They get paid WELL.
Bring in a warming bus. Change out hoses.
Do your Fucking JOBS !!!!!!
They were probably designing next months T-shirt when the fire was still going from the first day, sitting around basking in their great work…. Welp, whoops it’s still burning
Kenosha Fire Dept. has lots to explain, few years back I watched a house fire during the day and fire personal could not match up fire hoses to connect to each other, if not for loss of property it was comical to watch! Sad they want and get equipment but they don’t know to use it.
Personnel
Didn’t this happen at the Coffee Pot last summer also? What’s goin on KFD?
Has everyone forgotten when the former Fire Chief refused to send equipment and personnel to put out the fires during the 2020 riots due to “safety” concerns and parts of Kenosha burned down? After absolutely refusing to do the job they’re paid for during the worst disaster the city has ever faced, can anyone be surprised now?
Listen. They just need a bigger raise, and better big screen game rooms in the stations…
The only job outside of mattress testing who gets paid to sleep.
They don’t have game rooms. And the televisions in the stations are paid for by them. Not the city.
The safety concerns were because of the rioters. Not the fires.
Look the fire clowns need more equipment, additional pay, and the retirement age should be lowered to 45. And it was -8 out. the fire can wait until spring. WTF
They do any DEI hiring the last 4 years?
They definitely have.
Did they even send in the units normally found parked at grocery stores, getting the groceries for a 24 hr shift? I mean, not like they could plan ahead and buy the stuff on the off day prior. Glad the cops got 24/figured out. Come to think of it, even Kwik Trips can do it.
What an assinine comment. They are still on duty no matter where they are and they leave the groceries if they get a call.
Yeah but they are hero’s. Haha
All you loud mouths….i dont see your asses out there fighting fires! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
It is concerning to remember that the exact same thing happened at the Coffee Pot. Fire Department came, cleared the building, fire was still active in the walls, and the fire department had to return…
How, please explain how, did this happen again?!?!?!??!?!.!? In someone’s house????
Not a one of you clowns could make it through training.
Let alone written, background, or drug testing.
The only thing to question is if the decision not to demolish the home immediately was the right one.
Most homes built today and in recent decades use I-joists to support the floors.
I-joists are made of sheathing similar to what is used on walls and roofs with 1X2 lumber at the top and bottom.
They are strong and make for quiet floors and are the least expensive option for floor joists.
The problem is they are not fire friendly and floors will quickly start collapsing and the house is a total loss.
The State should have laws that require insurance companies to make an immediate initial payment and provide hotel rooms until the victim can transition to a temporary rental until they pay the final settlement.
This thread shows just how gross the comments on this site have become. All of these little scaredy cat whiners thinking they can do a better job. What miserable people.