RACINE – A family of five people were displaced by a fire in a Downtown Racine apartment building Friday evening. No one was injured.
The Racine Fire Department (RFD) was called to an apartment building at 400 Seventh Street about 7:40 p.m. Friday. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire in one of the apartment units.
An investigation showed that the fire started in one of the apartment bedrooms when an occupant connected a window air conditioning unit power cord into a power strip that malfunctioned. The American Red Cross assisted the family who were displaced by the fire.
The fire caused an estimated $10,000 damage to the building and $500 to contents. The RFD Fire Prevention Bureau urges everyone to always follow manufacturer instructions when using power strips and extension cords.