Fire Displaces Families Of Ripon Apartment Complex

Fourteen people were displaced by a fire at the Valley Crest Apartments in Ripon Monday afternoon. Ripon Area Fire District Chief Tim Saul says eight of the 16 apartments were affected by the blaze, which started out as a report of a fire on a balcony of the two-story complex. When firefighters arrived there was heavy smoke and fire in the roof of the building. Police assisted in getting tenants out of the building. Saul says there was considerable damage to an apartment and the complex itself. He says one person was treated for smoke inhalation. The Ripon Fire and Police Departments are investigating the cause of the fire, which Saul says isn’t suspicious. Steve Hansen of the Northeast Wisconsin chapter of the American Red Cross says they aided families at the scene. He says they helped six or seven families who didn’t have anywhere to go or any resources. Hansen says they are considering establishing a multi-agency resource center to aid those affected by the fire. Fourteen different agencies provided mutual aid at the fire scene.