A house fire in the Village of Richfield prompted a multifaceted emergency response after a homeowner reported smoke emanating from their basement. The incident, which took place on Sunday at around 5:00pm, required the efforts of numerous fire departments and resulted in no injuries to the residents of the home, although one firefighter did sustain minor injuries during the operation. The source of the smoke, which was contained mostly to the basement, is still under investigation by local authorities.
According to a news release from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the call was handled by their Communication Center before deputies and the Richfield Fire Department were dispatched to the scene, located at 5058 High On A Hill Drive. On arrival, they encountered significant smoke emission from the residence. The Richfield Fire Department, recognizing the severity of the situation, escalated the fire to a box level call, which led to the support of several neighboring fire departments, including Slinger, Jackson, and Germantown, among others.
A collaborative effort by the fire service was able to prevent the blaze from spreading beyond the basement. All occupants of the residence managed a timely escape from the house, dodging any possible harm. One Richfield firefighter, however, had a close brush, suffering minor injuries.
The lineup of responders alongside the Richfield Fire Department included personnel from Slinger Fire, Jackson Fire, Germantown Fire, Hartford Fire, Newburg Fire, Merton Fire, Life Star Ambulance, Menomonee Falls Fire, Allenton Fire, St. Lawrence Fire, and Cedarburg Fire. The combined efforts of these departments played a critical role in the fire's containment and, subsequently, the safety of the neighborhood, the precise origin of the fire within the basement remains a subject of inquiry by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Richfield Fire Department.
