Fire chief: Combined Locks fire response may be largest in Wisconsin history

COMBINED LOCKS, Wis. (WBAY) – Firefighters from throughout the state say they’re nonetheless recovering from the Mixed Locks fireplace that engulfed a paper warehouse over the weekend.

The Mixed Locks fireplace chief mentioned Monday this hearth had one of many greatest — if not the greatest — fireplace responses in Wisconsin’s historical past. He additionally mentioned he couldn’t be extra grateful for the assistance from 67 companies and 700 emergency responders who helped to place this hearth out.

From Pittsville within the heart of Wisconsin to Door County on the japanese edge, companies from all throughout the state hurried to Mixed Locks Friday.

“We knew instantly from arriving on scene that this was one thing we couldn’t deal with by ourselves and that we would have liked assist,” Chief Ken Wiedenbauer mentioned.

Wiedenbauer instructed us greater than 6 million gallons of water from each the river and municipal water provide have been used to place out the fireplace, setting a file for the Mixed Locks Hearth Division.

“Simply given the floor space of the warehouse that we have been working with, extra water was key to maintain all the things in test as a lot as we may.”

Officers say the quantity of water they used and the fireplace partitions and fireplace doorways inside the constructing have been pivotal to stopping the fireplace’s unfold.

“The worker that was on website who was in a position to shut the doorways behind him as he was working out to evacuate the constructing, I imply, he will be credited with saving a big portion of that fireplace from proper off the bat,” Chief Wiedenbauer mentioned.

The fireplace struggle lasted 26 hours.

Article continues beneath the video

“It was mind-blowing,” Wiedenbauer mentioned. “It was an enormous group effort to do that, and all of the companies from across the state performed their very own particular person half in it and we couldn’t have achieved this with out them, actually.”

With the fireplace out and everybody house protected, Wiedenbauer mentioned his crew was resting Monday.

“Crews are resting now and making an attempt to get again to their common life and routine, and we are attempting to place fireplace stations again collectively, get fireplace gear again to the place’s it’s acquired to go, as a result of inevitably with that many assets on scene stuff goes to get blended up.”

Right now the worth of the injury continues to be unknown.

What began the fireplace isn’t recognized, both, though authorities really feel there was no foul play.

Warehouse Specialists says it’s already working to scrub up and rebuild.

The Mixed Locks Hearth Division says it’s planning to work with Warehouse Specialists so when it rebuilds it will probably ensure that the correct protocols are in place to stop one other fireplace.

”There weren’t any fireplace sprinklers in that a part of the constructing however they weren’t required on the time that it was constructed,” Wiedenbauer mentioned. “However fireplace requirements and fireplace security have come a good distance within the final 40 years. We’re taking a look at methods to mitigate the fireplace earlier than we even arrive on scene.”

Copyright 2022 WBAY. All rights reserved.