TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – An investigation regarding a bonfire explosion in Maple Grove remains ongoing.
The explosion, which happened Friday night, allegedly injured around 30 current and past students from the Pulaski school district.
The Shawano County Sherriff’s office couldn’t provide an exact number of people burned or the severity of injuries.
Mike Vandenavond, with Green Bay Metro Fire Department, tells FOX 11 you want to keep bonfires small.
“Anytime it gets bigger, out of the container you have it in, you’re going to have issues with people possibly falling in or the fire falling on them.”
In a press release, the Shawano County Sherriff’s office wrote, “an accelerant was applied to the fire, causing the fire to expand out of control. Several individuals suffered burn injuries requiring medical attention.”
“They told us it’ll get worse before it gets better,” said Jen Ziech, aunt of a victim.
Ziech started a GoFundMe page for her nephew Brandon, who she says suffered major burns in the incident.
Ziech says Brandon saw two kids throw a container of gas into the fire.
“Brandon was on fire, and his buddy Sam that was next to him, helped him, roll him, get the fire out. There were other kids that were on fire.”
“People use gasoline or the wrong accelerant and it becomes almost a bomb because it will explode and shoot everything in the fire out,” said Vandenavond.
Another GoFundMe Page has been started for another student hurt in the fire. His name Issac.
Julie Nelson, Isaac’s mother says her son will have to be at the burn center for two weeks. He has burns to 21% of his body and will need multiple skin grafts to repair damage.
Click here to donate to Isaac’s GoFundMe
“We had heard there were six to seven flighted to the burn center in Milwaukee,” said Ziech.
If your bonfire is burning out, Vandenavond suggests safer ways to light it back up.
“We advise people use the kindling, use the matches, use the paper to start it. Start small and build the fire up, but anything accelerants is not good.”
Ziech says Brandon is stable and his recovery process has just begun.
FOX 11 reached out to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office and was told the investigation is active, and they are not releasing any more information at this time.
The sheriff’s office says “due to the size of the gathering and the suspected severities of injuries” participants of the bonfire should contact the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office at 715-526-3111.
The school district recommends anyone needing immediate assistance should call the Brown and Shawano County Crisis Lines at 715-526-3240 or the Oconto County After Hours Crisis Line at 920-846-3444 to speak with grief counselors.
The Pulaski Police Department posted the following message on its Facebook page: “A very unfortunate and tragic incident occurred last night in Shawano County involving students in our Pulaski Community. If anyone has information which can assist the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office in their investigation, please call them at (715) 526-3111. As a close knit community, this is where we rely on all of us coming together to provide information and assistance. Our thoughts and prayers will be with those who have been affected by this.”
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