Waukesha Thanksgiving fires; smoke detector present, not working
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Smoke detectors were not working at two separate fires in Waukesha on Thanksgiving.
Earlier Thursday, 15-year-old Ella Clark saved her brother and sister from flames. As she was getting ready Thursday morning, she heard a noise in the bathroom.
Ella Clark
"It was all really fast," she said. "I peek out the shower curtain and bright red, well, orange flames, are lighting the curtains on fire."
Investigators said an electrical fire started in the wall.
The teenager got her younger siblings outside, but before she left, she shut the bathroom door.
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"I just saved our house," she said. "With that little, little thing, I saved our house."
Investigators say that helped limit smoke and heat from spreading into other parts of the house.
"Her quick thinking and quick action of doing what she was taught really had a positive outcome given the situation of a fire in your home," Waukesha Fire Marshal Brian Charlesworth said.
Clark’s fire was the first of the two Thanksgiving incidents.
"There was one similarity between the two fires," Charlesworth said. "There were no working smoke detectors."
At approximately 4:30 p.m. that day, a person driving near Arcadian and Oakland called 911 after seeing smoke come from an apartment.
"In this case, we did discover a male unconscious at the time," Charlesworth said.
Waukesha apartment fire, man seriously injured
A man was seriously injured in a Waukesha apartment fire on Thanksgiving. It happened near Arcadian and Oakland.
He said the victim is recovering in a hospital’s burn unit.
"They had everything blocked off, taped off," a neighbor said.
Crews are still investigating the cause but suspect either an electrical problem or an unattended candle were to blame. Fire officials said the damage is estimated to be around $50,000.
Waukesha Fire Marshal Brian Charlesworth
In the last four years, Waukesha firefighters said they have given out 500 free smoke detectors.
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"We will install batteries if that’s an issue, if you can’t climb a ladder or aren’t steady on your feet anymore," Charlesworth said. "We will do whatever we can do to make sure you have a working smoke detector at your residence."
Crews said they would rather see people gathered around the table for Thanksgiving than see them out in the cold.
Those interested in getting a smoke detector, batteries or overall fire prevention help can click here.
Fire prevention staff can be reached between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at 1-262-524-3648.