DE PERE (NBC 26) — The people living in a De Pere apartment unit that caught fire Thursday night are safe, but they're now staying with family because the damage was so severe.
Firefighters responded to the 2100 block of Ryan Road just before 9 p.m. Thursday for a reported fire alarm. The call was upgraded to a to a confirmed structure fire while firefighters were on the way.
Crews arrived and found a two-story, wood-frame, multi-unit family apartment building with no visible flames from the exterior.
However, firefighters quickly discovered smoke was coming from one of the units.
Inside, crews found flames on the kitchen stove, and it took them nearly 10 minutes to contain the flames and make sure people living there were safely evacuated.
Five engines, one ladder truck, one ambulance, two command cars, and approximately 20 firefighters responded, including assistance from Ashwaubenon, Ledgeview, Morrison, Green Bay Metro, and County Rescue.
Fire crews were on scene for roughly two hours.
No injuries were reported.
Officials say the cause of the fire was unattended cooking, resulting in an estimated $20,000 in damage to the apartment and its contents.
Again, the people living in that affected apartment unit are staying with family as they try to figure out their next steps, but the people in the other units were able to return home.
“We want to remind everyone to never leave anything cooking on the stove unattended,” said Battalion Chief Del Zuleger of De Pere Fire-Rescue.
