Whitewater Fire and EMS reports that on January 21 at 1:07 p.m. the department received a report of smoke in a kitchen at the house located at 836 W. Walworth Street. Personnel arrived in less than four minutes after dispatch, finding smoke issuing from the home. Everyone had escaped from the residence. It was determined that the fire had originated in the basement. The department indicates that, “Despite an aggressive interior attack, flames had breached wall and ceiling material and entered a confined crawl space. This allowed fire to travel along void spaces throughout the entire structure requiring extensive overhaul efforts….Deteriorating structural conditions caused by fire and water damage necessitated the use of a backhoe to assist during the overhaul process.” Mutual aid was requested related to the extreme cold temperatures, with resources coming from Walworth, Rock and Jefferson Counties. The press release describes the estimated loss as “pending total.”

“Whitewater Fire/EMS encourages everyone to ensure you have working smoke detectors on every floor of your home,” the release states.