Image by Kiel Fire Department
TOWN OF SCHLESWIG, Wis. — A rapid multi-agency response helped prevent a major disaster Saturday, when a fast-moving fire engulfed a large machine shed in the 18800 block of Point Creek Road in the Town of Schleswig.
The Kiel Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at approximately 6:21 p.m. Initial reports indicated that flames were spreading rapidly toward nearby agricultural structures, putting three separate buildings at immediate risk. Recognizing the severity of the situation, emergency dispatch immediately activated the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to summon critical resources from across the region.
Upon arrival, firefighters encountered a fully involved machine shed complex measuring a 50-by-30-foot main building with an adjacent 26-by-40-foot section. First-arriving engine companies from the Kiel and St. Nazianz fire departments deployed handlines to form a defensive perimeter, successfully protecting adjacent barns and pole buildings from ignition.
To combat the intense blaze, the Kiel Fire Department's ladder truck used an elevated master stream to deliver high volumes of water onto the burning structures. An excavator provided by Ken's Perc & Septic Service LLC was deployed to assist with extinguishment and overhaul operations.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of all responding units, firefighters limited the spread of the fire and saved a large barn, a pole shed and the family residence located on the property. The fire was brought under control in under an hour, at approximately 7:10 p.m.
One person was evaluated on-scene by the Kiel Fire Department Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation, treated and released. No other injuries were reported.
Utility support was provided by Wisconsin Public Service to secure gas and electrical lines, while the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office managed traffic control around the scene. The Manitowoc County Fire Investigation Unit has launched an investigation to determine the cause and origin of the fire. A formal damage estimate has not yet been determined.
The containment was made possible through the collaborative efforts of numerous mutual aid partners, including:
- St. Nazianz Fire Department
- Elkhart Lake Fire Department
- New Holstein Fire Department
- St. Anna Fire Department
- Valders Fire Department
- Ada Fire Department
- Cleveland Fire Department
- Collins Fire Department
- Reedsville Fire Department
- Howards Grove Fire Department
- Wisconsin Public Service
- Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office
- Manitowoc County Fire Investigation Unit
- Ken's Perc & Septic Service LLC
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