RACINE — A 74-year-old man was killed in a house fire in Racine that also left two others injured.
The Racine Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire on the 1800 block of Woodland Avenue just after 4 a.m. on Sunday with reports of people still in the home. Despite dealing with more than 8 inches of snow, the RFD was able to make it on scene in less than four minutes.
Once on scene, crews observed fire and heavy smoke coming from the home's windows. A fire ignited in the basement and first floor of the single-story residence. Three adults were inside the home when the fire started.
A husband and wife, both in their seventies, were outside when fire crews got on scene, but the third person was still inside the home. Firefighters found the third person, a 74-year-old man, inside alive but unresponsive.
After the man was carried outside, paramedics began life-saving efforts en route to the hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The name is being withheld pending notification of family.
The husband and wife who were also residents were transported to a local hospital and are expected to survive. The RFD says the two were able to escape thanks to working fire alarms that alerted them of the fire.
Initial evidence shows the origin and cause of the fire was not the result of foul play, but this case remains under investigation. Estimated damage between the structure and contents of the house is more than $100,000.
