By John Gittings
WiscNews
SUMPTER, Wis. — Residents of an apartment building in Bluffview Estates in the town of Sumpter in rural Sauk County are displaced following a fire Saturday morning that destroyed the 16-unit facility.
Twenty-four fire departments responded to the five-alarm blaze, which requires the most assistance on a scale of one to five.
About 7 a.m., the Sauk City Fire Department and three other agencies responded to a report of smoke coming from the roof of the building in the complex on Highway 12 between Baraboo and Sauk City. Firefighters saw smoke and flames coming from the roof upon arrival and requested additional aid due to the nature of the fire and difficulty accessing the attic area, the Fire Department said.
A crew of roughly 115 firefighters knocked down the fire by 10:30 a.m. and began salvaging items from the complex. An excavator arrived to remove the building’s metal roof, allowing access to hot spots.
Four firefighters were hospitalized at Sauk Prairie Hospital due to heat exhaustion and dehydration, along with a resident who was being treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire has not been determined and remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the cause is encouraged to call 1-888-847-7285.
Other responding departments included Baraboo, Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells-Kilbourn, Delton, North Freedom, Plain and Merrimac.
The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, four emergency medical service departments, the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Alliant Energy also assisted.
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