KAUKAUNA — Firefighters are crediting alert neighbors and working smoke alarms in a Kaukauna home with limiting damage from a Friday night fire to the garage.
The Kaukauna Fire Department responded last night about 10:30 p.m. to the fire at 524 West 6th Street where a single-family home was reported to have smoke and flames coming from the rear of the garage.
Firefighters arrived on scene about 4 minutes to find the rear of the garage engulfed in fire with heavy smoke showing.
Once they arrived, firefighters used the engine’s elevated master stream and handlines.
The garage was attached to the home by a breezeway and firefighters were able to stop the fire from continuing into the home.
The residents of the home were asleep when the fire broke out, according to a news release.
A neighbor heard popping and booming noises and noticed their neighbor’s garage on fire when she went to investigate the noises. The neighbor then dialed 911.
Smoke alarms located within the home and adjacent neighbors alerted the residents who were able to get out of the home before fire crews arrived.
Firefighters continued to extinguish and overhaul the fire until investigation confirmed that the fire was contained and out.
Damages to the living area of the home were limited to smoke with the bulk of the damage being to the garage and breezeway area.
The garage is considered a total loss.
A car parked in the driveway also sustained damage to the front end but was otherwise operable.
Total damage estimates to the home and vehicle are estimated to be around $100,000.
“Working smoke detectors along with vigilant neighbors allowed the occupants of the home to evacuate before conditions became worse, solidifying the importance of positioning smoke alarms throughout the home,” the fire department wrote in its news release.
The cause of the fire was determined to be faulty wiring in the breaker panel inside the garage.
