Community comes through to support those affected
By Heather Ruenz
Editor
The Nov. 9 structure fire at University Gardens apartments in Whitewater remains under investigation, according to local police and fire officials. The Wisconsin Arson Insurance Council is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the person(s) responsible for the fire.
Residents trapped in the four-alarm structure fire on North Tratt Street, with initial reports of people trapped, were safely removed without sustaining injuries.
The fire was reported just after 6:30 p.m., Nov. 9 as a “multiple story complex with victims trapped,” on the Walworth County Scanner’s Facebook page. The Whitewater Fire Department requested mutual aid from numerous departments throughout the area.
Anyone with information that may be beneficial to the investigation are asked to contact law enforcement through the following:
- Whitewater Police Department Detective Derrick Schleis at (262) 473-0555 ext. 4
- Wisconsin Arson Insurance Council Arson Hotline at (800) 362-3005
- Call a tip into the Walworth County Crime Stoppers at (262) 723-2677
- Text a tip to the Walworth County Crime Stoppers by texting 274637 (CRIMES). Start the message with the agency keyword TIP4WC, and enter your message.
- Submit an on-line tip through the Walworth County Crime Stoppers at www.tipsubmit.com using the Agency ID 1192.
How you can help
Whitewater Fire and Police departments worked with the Red Cross and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to find temporary shelter for the residents displaced because of the fire. Almost immediately following the fire, people began inquiring what they could do to help.
A post on the Whitewater Fire Department’s Facebook page listed resources to help victims and took the opportunity to thank members of the greater community.
“We have wonderful citizens in the City of Whitewater and the surrounding communities. Thank you so much for your generosity and helping those in need,” it stated.
The department also thanked Dominos Pizza of Whitewater, for donating pizzas to the “brave men and women who were helping the citizens of Whitewater. It is the little acts of kindness in our community that make us proud to call Whitewater our home.”
Donations are still being accepted. Financial donations can be made to the Whitewater Unified School District’s Family Emergency Fund at the central office or by mail to the attention of Lanora Heim, 419 S. Elizabeth St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Financial donations can also be made online with the Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
Donations of food should be made directly to the Whitewater Food Pantry while clothing donations can be made at the Congregational UCC Church Clothes Closet during their normal drop off hours. The Red Cross is in contact with both of these community partners and is drawing resources directly through them to continue to help the fire victims.
On Nov. 11, a one-stop shop event was held at Whitewater Middle School to help those affected by the fire as well. There, Red Cross caseworkers helped people create recovery plans, navigate paperwork and locate assistance. Several community partners were also in attendance to help with rent assistance, security deposits, furniture, household supplies, food and clothing. Computer kiosks and a phone recharging station were available. Snacks and lunch were provided.
While residents whose apartments were affected by the fire were initially not allowed inside, Cardinal Capital Management began identifying which portions of the complex were to remain closed for repairs and which apartments could be opened for re-occupancy the day after the fire.
