Racine bedroom fire accelerated by portable oxygen generator

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RACINE, Wis. - A fire early Sunday morning, Jan. 7, caused thousands of dollars in damage to a Racine home.

According to the Racine Fire Department, at about 2:44 a.m., firefighters responded to a single family home on McKinley Avenue for a bedroom fire.

When they arrived, they encountered a bed and bedding on fire in a first floor bedroom.

A portable oxygen generator that was in use next to the fire accelerated its growth.

Fire crews extinguished the fire in less than 10 minutes, preventing extensive fire, smoke and water damage.

Four people were able to get out of the home before fire crews arrived and were not displaced by the fire. No one was injured.

The cause of the fire was careless use of smoking materials.

Damage costs are estimated at $5,000 to the structure and $2,000 for the contents inside.