GRAND CHUTE (NBC 26) — Two adults and three dogs escaped without injury after an attic fire tore through the roof of their Grand Chute home Friday evening.
According to a release from the Grand Chute Fire Department Saturday morning, fire departments responded to the blaze in the 2000 block of West Hiawatha Drive after receiving several 911 calls reporting heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof and eaves of the single-story home at 6:56 p.m.
Neighbors spotted the fire first and alerted the residents inside, who were able to evacuate with their pets before firefighters arrived. Initial reports had suggested a person and dog might still be inside, but all occupants were safely outside.
Grand Chute Police Department officers helped move the residents and their pets to a safe location. Paramedics also evaluated the residents at the scene, but they required no medical treatment.
Crews from Grand Chute, Appleton, Fox Crossing, and Greenville fire departments worked together to extinguish the fire, which had spread throughout the attic and exterior of the home. Firefighters pulled down ceiling and soffits in several areas and thoroughly soaked the attic to ensure the fire was fully put out.
While the official cause remains under investigation, preliminary findings suggest improperly discarded cigarettes outside the house ignited the siding before spreading into the attic. Fire officials expect much or all of the house will need rebuilding, though an exact damage estimate has not been determined.
"The Grand Chute Fire Department reminds everyone to dispose of all smoking materials and recreational fire ashes in a stable, metal container filled with water or sand," said Battalion Chief Andy Czechanski. "Regular dirt and mulch and plastic containers can all be fuel for fire."
The Grand Chute Fire Department also thanked the Outagamie County Communications Center, the Outagamie County Community Emergency Response Team, WE Energies, and the American Red Cross for additional assistance at the team.
