Spring Break
Authorities still don't know cause of Stout fire
Tragedy a reminder to students on safety
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: News
As of Tuesday afternoon, investigators still don't have any leads about the fire that killed three UW-Stout students the morning of April 5.
Stout senior April C. Englund, 21, of West St. Paul, Minn., sophomore Amanda Jean Rief, 20, of Chaska, Minn., and senior Scott A. Hams, 23, of Hayward, died in Englund's off-campus duplex. One of the occupants of the rear unit called 9-1-1 at 3:30 a.m. after hearing smoke detectors and seeing smoke.
The Menomonie Fire Department is still waiting on the state fire investigator's report, Chief Jack Baus said.
"I wish we had some answers, but we just don't have anything," he said.
While the cause is still unknown, officials say one thing is for certain - everyone can take steps to prevent fires from happening.
"You're immortal. You're young. You're strong. You're smart. You can conquer anything," Eau Claire Fire and Rescue Chief David Gee said. "But fire is a monster and it can overcome the best of us."
This year, Gee said there has been one fatality in the city caused by a cooking fire. In 2007, 60 structure fires broke in Eau Claire, and nationwide, about 4,000 people were killed in fires.
"About every three hours somewhere, somebody is dying in a fire," Gee said.
Mainly, Gee said he sees fires started by smoking, candles, incense, cooking, electrical overloads and heating equipment, often times breaking after a party.
A cigarette butt can get tossed in a couch cushion or wastebasket or still be lit in the ashtray.
"You know the rest," he said. "It just takes one misuse of smoking materials in a couch to cause a tragedy. It will smolder for hours and when it does flair up and start the fires, everybody's sound asleep."
Finding a sober event monitor, something along the lines of a designated driver, to clean up afterwards is important, Gee said.
Also, if people are visiting at an unfamiliar home, Gee said it's important to learn the floor plan and escape route.
Stout senior April C. Englund, 21, of West St. Paul, Minn., sophomore Amanda Jean Rief, 20, of Chaska, Minn., and senior Scott A. Hams, 23, of Hayward, died in Englund's off-campus duplex. One of the occupants of the rear unit called 9-1-1 at 3:30 a.m. after hearing smoke detectors and seeing smoke.
The Menomonie Fire Department is still waiting on the state fire investigator's report, Chief Jack Baus said.
"I wish we had some answers, but we just don't have anything," he said.
While the cause is still unknown, officials say one thing is for certain - everyone can take steps to prevent fires from happening.
"You're immortal. You're young. You're strong. You're smart. You can conquer anything," Eau Claire Fire and Rescue Chief David Gee said. "But fire is a monster and it can overcome the best of us."
This year, Gee said there has been one fatality in the city caused by a cooking fire. In 2007, 60 structure fires broke in Eau Claire, and nationwide, about 4,000 people were killed in fires.
"About every three hours somewhere, somebody is dying in a fire," Gee said.
Mainly, Gee said he sees fires started by smoking, candles, incense, cooking, electrical overloads and heating equipment, often times breaking after a party.
A cigarette butt can get tossed in a couch cushion or wastebasket or still be lit in the ashtray.
"You know the rest," he said. "It just takes one misuse of smoking materials in a couch to cause a tragedy. It will smolder for hours and when it does flair up and start the fires, everybody's sound asleep."
Finding a sober event monitor, something along the lines of a designated driver, to clean up afterwards is important, Gee said.
Also, if people are visiting at an unfamiliar home, Gee said it's important to learn the floor plan and escape route.
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