Fire along Highway 29 near Wausau. Image courtesy: WAOW TV
RIB MOUNTAIN, WI (WSAU) — Last weekend’s fire along Packer Drive that destroyed Grundman’s Self-Service Garage has been described as the first five-alarm incident in the South Area Fire and Emergency Response District history.
A news release from SAFER says a total of six buildings were lost in the blaze which started at 143771 Packer Drive just outside the Wausau city limits. Within an hour crews realized they wouldn’t be able to contain the blaze on their own and called for mutual aid.
A total of 150 firefighters responded to the incident. Equipment on scene included 17 water tenders, 11 engines, two ladder trucks, and multiple brush trucks. Those resources came from a total of 17 fire crews from Marathon and Lincoln Counties including SAFER, City of Wausau, Town of Wausau, Athens, Spencer, Stratford, Riverside, Mosinee, Kronenwetter, and Merrill.
Over a quarter of a million gallons of water were used in the incident.
In addition to fire crews, the Wisconsin DNR also responded.
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Sustained winds at the time of the blaze were at 18 MPH out of the west with gusts up to 29 MPH. Crews were able to prevent two nearby homes from receiving any damage.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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