2 Racine apartment fires displace residents; infant, adult treated

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RACINE, Wis. - Racine fire crews responded to two separate apartment fires Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 17, displacing residents at both locations and sending an infant and an adult to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation, officials said.

What we know:

The first fire was reported shortly after 12:30 p.m. near Duchess and Biscayne in a first-floor apartment of a two-story, 20-unit building. The fire was caused by unattended cooking and resulted in extensive fire and smoke damage to the unit, according to the Racine Fire Department.

Officials said two automatic sprinkler heads activated and extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived. Multiple engines responded.

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Because the sprinkler system controlled the fire, most crews were back in service within about 30 minutes, with one engine remaining on scene for overhaul, ventilation and investigation.

The residents of the affected unit were displaced, but the remaining 19 apartments were deemed habitable due to the sprinkler system’s activation, officials said.

Dig deeper:

While crews were still investigating that fire, the department was dispatched just before 2 p.m. to a second fire near 18th and Howe. Firefighters quickly knocked down a blaze inside an upstairs bathroom wall of a duplex.

Racine Fire Department

The Howe Street fire caused extensive fire, smoke and water damage to the upper unit and water damage to the lower unit. Both units were ruled uninhabitable.

An infant and an adult from the Howe Street fire were taken to Ascension Racine for treatment of minor smoke inhalation. No injuries were reported in the Biscayne fire.

The cause of the Howe fire remains under investigation. Racine police assisted with traffic and scene control at both locations.

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By the numbers:

Estimated damage from the Biscayne fire was $40,000 to the structure and $10,000 to its contents. Damage from the Howe fire was estimated at $70,000 to the structure and $20,000 to its contents.