Mother and three children displaced in Monday morning house fire that killed family dog

RACINE — A dog died and a mother along with her three daughters lost their home in a fire Monday morning.

The Racine Fire Department was dispatched at 8:45 a.m. Monday to a report of a fire coming from a window on the north side of a single-story, single-family home on the 400 block of Randolph Street.

Twenty-two firefighters battled the blaze and the slippery streets to put out the fire; no civilian or firefighter injuries were reported at the fire, although the family’s dog died due to injuries related to the fire.

The Red Cross is assisting the tenant and her three daughters. The mother had already gotten her children to school and had left for work 30 minutes before the fire began.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

RFD sees situations like this as a reminder of the importance of renters insurance. According to local insurance agents, $30,000 of contents coverage can be purchased for less than $20 per month.

Through the Red Cross, there is no way to directly donate to help the family, but there are ways to support the organization.

The Red Cross helps families in situations like this through assistance in lodging, supplies, clothing and more through its disaster relief fund, which accepts donations at redcross.org/donate/donation. The winter is the busiest time of year for the Red Cross, with approximately 200 families being assisted due to fires across the state and the Upper Peninsula since the beginning of December.

Be prepared: Cold weather safety tips

Bundle up and wear layers

Wear layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent losing body heat.

Don’t forget furry friends

Bring pets indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure that they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

Remember the 3 feet rule for space heaters

This file photo shows a Dyna-Glo propane forced air heater.

RON KUENSTLER

If you are using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep anything flammable at least three feet away — things such as paper, clothing, bedding, curtains or rugs. Turn off space heaters before leaving the room or going to bed.

Practice fireplace safety

If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs. Make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.

Protect water pipes

Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent water pipes from freezing. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Keep the garage doors closed if there are water lines in the garage.

Keep thermostat at same temperature

Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be a little higher, but you could avoid a more costly repair job if your pipes freeze and burst.

The kitchen is for cooking

Never use a stove or oven to heat your home.

Use generators outside

Never operate a generator inside a home, including in the basement or garage. Don’t hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.