RIPON, WI (WTAQ) – Fourteen people are displaced following a Monday evening fire in Ripon.
Crews were called to the Valley Crest Apartments on Douglas Street around 5 pm.
Fire Chief Tim Saul says “we had a report of a fire on a second story balcony of a two-story apartment. Upon arrival, fire companies were met with heavy smoke and fire in the roof. With the assistance of the Ripon Police Department, we evacuated all of the residents. Fire operations proceeded after that.”
Saul says there are 16 units in the building.
“There were eight apartments that were affected, with significant damage to the entire structure itself. No cost estimate. One unit received major damage, the other ones were smoke and water. A major, significant part of the damage is that part of the roof was burned off.”
Saul notes there is no word on how long the 14 residents will be displaced.
“It was just a hard fire to get to because it was between the ceilings and roof. We had a partial structural collapse of the roof so we had to be careful of how agressive we were going inside in the beginning.”
One resident was no treated at the scene. No other injuries have been reported.
While foul play is not suspected, the cause remains under investigation.
Saul says the Red Cross and Salvation Army are assisting those displaced.
