By Annysa Johnson
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha firefighters, returning from a medical run early Saturday, spotted flames and smoke shooting from the roof of a house, ran inside and rescued its five sleeping occupants, officials said Sunday.
The fire started inside a second-story wall. Though there were smoke alarms in the living spaces, there weren’t any in the attic, so residents wouldn’t have been alerted until the blaze broke through the interior walls, Battalion Chief Matthew Haerter said.
“They were extremely fortunate,” said Haerter, whose med unit called in the blaze before running into the home.
“We were in the right place at the right time,” he said.
Like many fire departments, Kenosha’s med units are staffed by firefighters certified as paramedics or emergency medical technicians, who carry protective gear and basic firefighting equipment.
According to Haerter, Med Unit No. 3 was returning from a medical run, driving along one of the city’s main arterial streets, when they saw the blaze. Firefighters Jim Strouf, Stephen Lombardi and Ray Tessman donned their protective gear and were bringing out the two adults and three children when the first of the fire crews arrived on the scene.
The fire, which appears to have been caused by an electrical problem, is believed to have burned for at least an hour before breaking through the roof. Damage to the home and contents was estimated at $17,500, Haerter said. The building is uninhabitable, and the Red Cross was providing shelter for the residents.
Haerter used the blaze as a chance to encourage residents to install smoke detectors on all levels of a home, including attics, and to obtain renter insurance.
“In the majority of our incidents, the renters don’t take advantage of renters’ insurance, and it’s so inexpensive,” he said. “They assume, incorrectly, that the landlord is responsible. And if they don’t have it, they lose everything.”
Copyright 2009 Journal Sentinel Inc.