Total loss: Fire in Sheboygan leads to evacuations due to concerns over liquefied petroleum tanks

SHEBOYGAN -- Officials in Sheboygan on Sunday evening, April 3rd were battling a structure fire involving a work shed located between nearby houses -- possibly containing several liquefied petroleum tanks.

The call for this fire came in around 8:15 p.m.

The fire occurred on N. 17th Street near Eisner Avenue in Sheboygan.

Upon the arrival of first responders, the structure was found to be fully engulfed.

The City of Sheboygan Fire Department and the Town of Sheboygan Fire Department joined forces to mitigate this incident.

The first fire department unit arrived on scene in less than three minutes. It was reported that the shed was fully involved, and contained approximately four 100-pound liquefied petroleum tanks.

Fire was impinging upon the tanks, while the pressure relief valves on several of the tanks were audibly operating and venting raw liquefied petroleum gas.

Due to the concern that a "Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion" may occur, citizens within a two-block radius of the fire scene were given an evacuation order.

Officers from the Sheboygan Police Department and deputies from the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this effort.

Several hand lines were put in place to extinguish the structure fire, and to cool the tanks in order to keep them from exploding. These decisions proved to be successful, and the incident stabilized. A fence located adjacent to the shed was burned, and several nearby homes suffered heat damage to the siding.

Crews remained on scene for just under two hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Damage to the shed, its contents, and nearby structures is estimated to be $12,000.

 

Residents were able to return to their homes shortly after 9:00 p.m.

A second fire occurred in Sheboygan early Sunday evening.

This fire, which occurred near 22nd and Carmen, was reported to be located in the garage and was called in by the owner just after 6:00 p.m.

The first fire unit arrived on scene within three minutes.

The fire was quickly extinguished by fire department personnel, who were able to keep the fire contained mostly to the garage. The home itself suffered some smoke damage.

Eleven firefighters responded to the incident and were on scene for approximately one-and-a-half hours.

Damage to the building and contents is estimated to be $3,000. The cause of the fire is undetermined.