Fire prompts evacuation of a Janesville elementary school
Photo
Janesville Firefighters prepare to enter a home on fire at 407 S. Ringold St. in Janesville. Several family pets were killed in the fire.
JANESVILLE — A fire left a family homeless and prompted the evacuation of Roosevelt Elementary School on Thursday.
Janesville firefighters were called to 407 S. Ringold St. at 2:36 p.m.
Rebecca Wetenkamp and her 5-year-old daughter had just returned home. They found the house filled with smoke and called 911, said Bill Ruchti, Janesville Fire Department shift commander.
Wetenkamp shared the rental home with her three children, who are 5, 6, and 8 years old, and Elmo “Junior” Brown.
Brown, who works as a maintenance man at the Janesville Salvation Army, was informed about the fire at work. Capts. Kirk and Carolyn Schuetz accompanied him to the scene.
No one was injured in the fire, but two dogs and a pet rabbit died.
The home, which is owned by Don Nevel of DeKalb, Ill., is about a block south of Roosevelt Elementary School, 316 S. Ringold.
The Red Cross was helping the building’s residents find a place to stay.
The fire alarm went off at Roosevelt at about 2:45 p.m., said school principal Stacy Kelley. School officials think smoke from the fire, which was quite heavy, drifted toward the school and set off the building’s alarms.
After determining that the school was safe, students were allowed to re-enter the school.
District and school staff set up alternative pick-up sites out of the way of the emergency vehicles, and Janesville police redirected traffic, Kelley said.
District officials also used their automated mass phone messaging system to let parents know what was happening.
Officials estimate the damage to the structure and contents at $20,000. Heavy smoke damage made the home uninhabitable, Ruchti said.
The fire started in a container in a kitchen cabinet, but its exact cause is unknown, Ruchti added.
Mar 15, 2010 at 7:35 a.m.
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You really think I just drove around or what?? I pulled up to the cop that was telling EVERY parent WHERE to park.He told every parent that he was not authorized to let any info out. HE said to wait in the car. Not many parents did but the school staff outside was saying the same thing. Im not authorized to say.... YES kids were out so we knew they were safe but until you see your own kid your heart is breaking not knowing.
Mar 14, 2010 at 4:42 p.m.
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There was absolutely no time for anyone at Roosevelt School to contact parents via Alertnow prior to school being let out. The school was evacuated and they weren't allowed back in in time to make that call. Parents would have been on their way to Roosevelt already. I'm sure it was frightening to see the police and fire trucks surrounding Roosevelt School, but if you got out of your vehicle to get your child, you should have found him/her and realized he/she was safe.
Mar 14, 2010 at 3:42 p.m.
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Its ok. I got in to an argument with my sister whose kids go to another school and she kept telling me that did all they could. And I do NOT think they did. So now I feel like I have to defend my self and any other parents who literally felt like they were having a heart attack.
Mar 14, 2010 at 11:45 a.m.
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Sarah:
id give them a break if they had been helpful.
One cop, 2 teachers and and aid all said I'm not authorized to give any details, You need to park and wait for your child. Do you have ANY idea how many bad things runs through a parents mind????
Mar 13, 2010 at 8:18 p.m.
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I agree renters insurance is not that bad we pay $16 a month for 50,000 coverage. It could be $3 cheaper per month if we paid by the year instead, but convience of monthly payments has a small price.
Mar 13, 2010 at 5:52 p.m.
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"District officials also used their automated mass phone messaging system to let parents know what was happening."
45 Minutes AFTER school let out. Yes I'm sorry for this family but as a parent not knowing what was going on this call should have happened MUCH sooner!!!!
Mar 13, 2010 at 12:39 a.m.
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I feel very bad for the loss of the two dogs and the rabbit. It must be especially hard on the children.
Mar 12, 2010 at 9:35 p.m.
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This is very sad and my son goes to Roosevelt. But on having renters insurance we are renters and we pay $56 every 3 months for $75,000 worth of coverage. That is well worth it to me....I would be devestated and would not know what to do if this happened to us and we wern't covered.
Mar 12, 2010 at 6:53 p.m.
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How many of these stories must we read before people understand HOW IMPORTANT it is to have renters insurance?? It is around $100 a year to protect your stuff. Yes it could be YOU. Sorry cannot protect the poor animals. Glad they were not at home. Glad for the great detectors in the school. I am curious any detectors in the home. They usually say so.
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