APPLETON (NBC 26) -- A broken water line helped put out a basement fire and prevent serious damage to a home, according to Appleton firefighters.
The Appleton Fire Department says the fire broke out shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday on the 200 block of West Hancock Street. Fire officials say the fire was discovered by a City of Appleton Utility crew investigating an abnormally large water flow coming from the address. A neighbor, an off duty AFD Lieutenant, assisted with the discovery of the fire, fire officials say.
According to Appleton fire officials, when fire crews arrived, they found an extinguished fire in the ceiling of an unfinished basement and water flowing from a broken copper connection. No one was hurt.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the address had registered an abnormally high water flow for the past five days, fire officials said. It was also discovered that the residents had not been to the property for more than a week.
Fire officials said while the house and things inside had minor heat damage and some smoke damage, the home and contents are mostly salvageable. Damage was estimated at about $5,000.
The cause of the fire is an electrical malfunction caused by a poor connection.
