Racine fire displaces family, causes significant damage, over $150K in damages

RACINE, WI — A fire damaged a home on Wednesday night on the 2400 block of Olive Street, leaving it unhabitable and displacing the residents.

The fire broke out at 11:30 p.m. The residents were not home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported, according to a press release by the Racine Fire Department.

“The fire could have led to much more damage if the homeowner did not have working smoke detectors that were monitored by an alarm company,” according to the press release.

Fire and rescue personnel from the Racine Fire Department responded to the scene and found a fire burning in one of the bedrooms at the two-story, single-family home. They quickly extinguished, but the home sustained significant damage.

The estimated damage to the structure is $150,000, and the damage to the contents is $7,000. Investigators believe the fire started in an electrical outlet on the first floor of the home and spread to the second floor and the attic.

The Racine Police Department assisted with traffic control on the scene, and WE Energies controlled the building’s natural gas and electrical utilities.

The fire department is reminding residents to:

• Check their smoke detectors regularly and to make sure they are working properly.
• Have a fire escape plan and practice it regularly.
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand and know how to use them.
• Be aware of the potential fire hazards in your home and take steps to reduce them.

For more information, visit FEMA.Gov