Early morning fire guts Kenosha restaurant, drives 18 from their homes
22.02.2008 06:00
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- Source: JS Online
A three-alarm fire in Kenosha early Thursday morning destroyed a restaurant and caused smoke and water damage to adjacent businesses and apartments, displacing 18 people from their homes. Kenosha Fire Battalion Chief Wes Bernhardt said Victoria's Nautical Inn, 6209 22nd Ave., is considered a total loss after the blaze, which was reported at 2:29 a.m. The cause remains under investigation. A full damage estimate was not available. Bernhardt said firefighters arrived within a minute of getting the call and found heavy smoke and heat at the front of the two-story building, while firefighters at the rear found heavy smoke and flames. The firefighters were unable to gain control of the fire immediately and began evacuating the attached apartments to the north of the restaurant. Firefighters also evacuated residents in a home to the east. No buildings besides the restaurant suffered fire damage. There were no reports of injuries. Residents were sheltered on city buses until the American Red Cross arrived to provide housing and food for those displaced. About 50 firefighters worked for an hour to gain control of the fire. Most remained for five hours, Bernhardt said. He said extreme cold and ice conditions hampered firefighting. Kenosha was assisted at the scene and on standby at its stations by firefighters from Somers, Randall and Paris, the Racine Fire Bells and departments out of Illinois from Zion, Winthrop Harbor, Newport and Waukegan.
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