Kenosha---A fire that heavily damaged the offices of the Kenosha Education Association early Friday morning began near an outside wall, with the flames spreading inside and eventually running unchecked through the attic, according to Battalion Chief Matt Haerter.
The alarm came in at 3:30. "When we arrived, the majority of the fire was on the outside," Haerter said.
Crews thought they had extinguished the blaze shortly after arriving, unaware that the flames had gotten into the attic, according to Haerter. At that point, firefighters were unable to do much to stop it because of the way the building had been remodeled over the years." Within minutes, flames were shooting high into the air.
Haerter stopped short of describing the fire as suspicious. "Right now our investigators are looking at everything possible," he said.
There were no injuries.
The building had last been occupied by the office crew and a custodian, who all left around 5:30, Haerter said.
Firefighters from Bristol and Pleasant Prairie helped out at the scene, with other neighboring departments manning empty City of Kenosha fire stations. The Racine Fire Belles were also called in.
There's been no comment yet from the KEA, which represents Kenosha Unified teachers and other district employees.
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