January 5, 2021
For Immediate Release:
Shorewood, WI: This evening at approximately 7:01p.m., the Bayside Communications Center received a 9-1-1 from a caller reporting an oven fire in their apartment at 1550 E Capitol Drive in Shorewood. While on the phone, the caller indicated that the fire was getting larger and that it was spreading to the rest of the kitchen. The dispatcher advised the caller to evacuate and immediately dispatched a “full assignment” for a reported structure fire.
First arriving units found smoke and fire showing from the second-floor window of an eight-unit apartment building. Residents outside indicated that everyone had been able to evacuate the structure prior to the arrival of fire crews. Companies found heavy smoke and moderate heat with fire conditions contained to the originating apartment. They were able to quickly bring the fire under control.
No injuries were reported to any of the tenants or any of the fire or law enforcement personnel operating at the scene. There is smoke damage throughout much of the building, but the heaviest damage is confined to the apartment of origin, the common hallway and the apartment below. Additionally, there is water damage to the fire apartment and in the unit immediately below. Both of those units are untenable currently. The remaining residents were allowed to return to their units if they wished. Damage to the building and contents is preliminarily estimated at $58,000.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation; however, it does not appear to be suspicious at this time. Early indications are that the tenant in the origin apartment quickly recognized the fire and attempted to extinguish it using a commercial fire extinguisher from the common hallway. They quickly realized that the fire was continuing to grow and evacuated the apartment in addition to notifying neighboring apartments on their way out, likely preventing potential injury and entrapment to others.
North Shore Fire/Rescue was assisted on scene by the Milwaukee Fire Department, the Shorewood Police Department and WE Energies Gas and Electric crews. For more information regarding this incident, please contact Battalion Chief Dan Tyk, at 414-357-0113 ext. 1513 or dtyk@nsfire.org.