West Bend Man Helps His Sister Escape from Burning Basement

A West Bend man was able to rescue three of his family members from a home after an explosion. 

According to the sheriff's office press release, the incident occurred around  8:18 a.m. on Monday.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a house fire located in the 4900 block of Eagle Lane in the Town of West Bend.

Police received a call from a 24-year-old man about his sister trapped in a burning basement.

Five family members were living in the single family residence, their ages ranging from 12 to 54. Smoke coming from the residence was visible. The man woke up to an explosion, and noticed smoke and fire coming from the basement. He was able to evacuate each family member except for his sister.

The 18-year-old woman was rescued by West Bend Fire Fighters within eight minutes of their arrival. The West Bend Fire Department was assisted by the following departments: Allenton, Boltonville, Germantown, Hartford, Jackson, Kewaskum, Kohlsville, Newburg, Saukville, Slinger, and St. Lawrence. No firefighters were injured.

According to the sheriff’s office, the woman was transported by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital in the Town of Polk followed by St. Mary’s Burn Center in Milwaukee for further monitoring.

The woman sustained minor injuries and her brother suffered from minor cuts to his hands and arms. He was also admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital.

The Red Cross was asked to assist the family. Eagle Lane, south of Starlite Drive, was closed for about 4 hours to clear the way for emergency personnel and investigation.

The house suffered approximately $300,000.00 worth of damage. The incident is still under investigation.