GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A fire broke out early Wednesday morning at an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Smith Street.
Residents like Suzie Bombay say they awoke to the sound of smoke alarms.
“I went and woke my daughter up and we tried to go out the door and there was too thick smoke and it hurt your lungs as soon as you breathed it in.”
Battalion Chief Ryan Gibbons says the smoke alarms made the difference.
“It could have been a lot worse if the smoke alarms were not working.”
He added it serves a good reminder to always make sure smoke alarms are in working condition.
After being rescued, 10 people were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
“When we got here, there was heavy smoke, and flames showing from the building, there was people that were in the windows that needed to be rescued.”
He said some ladder rescues were needed for people still by the windows, that included Bombay and her daughter.
“I was just shaking and crying, and she was yelling out the window “help me, help me” because she couldn’t get out.”
Gibbons says the building unhabitable at this time, with an estimated $300,000 dollars in damage.
“We have no place to live, Bombay said. They said the building is totaled, too much damage.”
The Red Cross is assisting those with who were displaced.
