Kewaskum house fire: Good Samaritans help 3 residents to safety
KEWASKUM, Wis. - Good Samaritans helped three people out of a Kewaskum home that caught fire on Saturday morning, May 25.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office got a 911 call just before 8 a.m. reporting the fire on Highway 28 in the town of Kewaskum. The homeowner reported three residents were trapped inside.
When emergency crews got to the scene, several area residents had stopped at the house and were assisting the residents out of the home through a window that had to be broken out.
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Two of the residents were treated on scene, officials said, and the third was taken to a hospital for smoke inhalation.
One of the Good Samaritans was treated at the scene for minor cuts, and another was taken to a hospital for a cut to his hand. A Kewaskum officer was also treated for smoke inhalation.
There were no reported injuries to fire personnel.
The building and contents were a total loss. Additionally, the family’s dog was later discovered to have died in the fire.
Jim Leister lives about two miles away. He and his wife Nancy were on their way to get their morning coffee around 8 a.m. Saturday morning when they saw the smoke.
"It's like, we got to get them out," he said. "We got to get them out."
Leister didn’t think twice. He ran up to the burning building and noticed the three people inside. He said his adrenaline took over.
"I was just lucky enough I could get them all three out and get them down to the road," he said. They would have been dead."
"Cherish life because it changes in a heartbeat," Leister said.
He said he doesn’t consider himself a hero. He said he did what anyone would do: be a good person and a good neighbor.
The American Red Cross was requested to respond to the scene to assist the family.
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The following fire departments responded to assist in fighting the fire; West Bend, Boltonville, Campbellsport, Kohlsville, Fillmore, Eden, Allenton, Newburg, Theresa, and Jackson.
The Wisconsin State Patrol assisted in shutting down Highway 28 for approximately five hours to assist in firefighting efforts.
