Waukesha snow blower fire, plow driver responds after seeing smoke
Waukesha snowplow driver responds to residential snow blower fire (Courtesy: Waukesha Fire Department)
WAUKESHA, Wis. - A snow blower caught fire in a Waukesha garage Friday morning, Jan. 19 – but it wasn't a firefighter who extinguished the flames.
It happened on DeWitt Court near Manhattan Drive – just north of Moreland Boulevard – around 11:45 a.m. The fire department said Mason Damaske, a city snowplow driver, was clearing cul-de-sacs in the neighborhood and noticed smoke coming from a garage.
Once Damaske got to the home, he noticed a snow blower was on fire inside the garage. After 911 was called, the fire department said Damaske got a fire extinguisher from his truck and put out the fire before firefighters got there – limiting the extent of the damage to the snow blower itself and the nearby contents of the garage.
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"Today, all of the city came together to save lives and property in our community. This truly exemplifies what ‘community’ means here in Waukesha," Assistant Fire Chief Joe Hoffman said in a statement.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the 911 call, and ensured the fire was out and there was no lingering danger. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was attributed to the snow blower being put away "hot" after use and contents in the garage immediately around the unit catching fire due to that heat, the fire department said.