PLOVER, Wis. (WSAU) — Two adults and two children lost everything in a fire Monday afternoon near Plover. Plover Fire Chief Mark Deaver says the children were in school when the fire broke out at around 1:00 p.m., and the two adults escaped the burning mobile home uninjured. “Everybody got out safely. They did have working smoke detectors that alerted them to the fire starting.”
The family’s pet cats and fish weren’t as fortunate. Deaver says the mobile home at lot #29 on Birch Drive was an older, wood-framed structure that was full of belongings, and it ignited quickly. “It was called out as a fire in the back bedroom, and when we got there, there was flames and smoke showing when I pulled up. By the time an engine rolled in, it was pretty well fully engulfed. The trailer was a total loss.”
Firefighters were on the scene until around 4:30 p.m. Monday. They will be back Tuesday to investigate the cause of the fire. Deaver says the fire appears to have started in or near the rear bedroom of the home. He says they believe they know what they’re looking for when they go back to complete the investigation.
The American Red Cross is assisting the family with emergency housing, food, clothing, and other emergency supplies.
If anyone would like to assist the family, they should contact the American Red Cross at their toll-free number of 1-800-236-8680.
Earlier this year, American Red Cross trained workers went door-to-door in this neighborhood installing smoke alarms and sharing the importance of escape plans. It’s not clear if this was one of the homes they helped equip, but Red Cross officials plan to revisit the neighborhood to help get smoke alarms in every unit.