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Watertown, Wisconsin
File on Watertown Fire
Department
Rico’s Pizza Fire
116 W Main
August 7, 2007
Firefighters Battle Blaze at Watertown Restaurant
Firefighters
battled a fire Tuesday evening, August 7, 2007, in the 100 block of West Main
Street in downtown Watertown. The fire started
around 8 p.m. above Rico's Restaurant.
Flames were visible out of the windows of the second floor. There were initial reports that people might
have been trapped in the building but a search found no occupants. One firefighter suffered minor injuries. He
was treated at the scene and then taken to Watertown Memorial Hospital. The fire was quickly contained. Ixonia, Lebanon and Johnson Creek fire
departments assisted in response to the fire.
A fire that broke out
Tuesday in an apartment above Rico’s Italian Restaurant on West Main Street
caused about $50,000 in damages, according to Watertown fire Chief Henry
Butts. Capt. Tom Killmon
of the Watertown Police Department said the fire was caused by an overloaded
electrical circuit in a second floor apartment. Bob Goff, co-owner of Rico’s, said he was
inside his restaurant when the fire started and that it was brought to his
attention when one of his employees smelled something burning. “I immediately looked in the oven to make
sure we hadn’t left a pizza in, but of course it wasn’t that at all,” Goff
said. Two workers who were installing a
door between Rico’s and Ultimate Realty Co. noticed the fire and were able to
notify a woman who was sleeping in a second floor
apartment, Goff said.
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Watertown Daily
Times article [WHS_005_552]
08 14 2007
Editor,
Daily Times:
Ultimate
Realty would like to extend a great thank you to the two construction workers
working after hours installing a door between Ultimate Realty and Rico's Pizza
on Aug. 7 that discovered the fire right at the beginning and helped to save
the lives of all tenants in both buildings.
Because
of their selfless courage to go into the smoke laden building and vigilant
attempt to wake a sleeping tenant in the second floor apartment, who
regrettably lost two personal pets from the fire, they were able to safely get
all tenants out of harm's way from catastrophe.
We
offer our sincerest gratitude for the courage of these men for giving of
themselves to get everyone out in a timely fashion because the fire swept
through the building so rapidly. Thanks again to Jacob Dondlinger
and Jay Haret for their valiant work.
We
cannot put into words how appreciative all involved are for the dedicated
efforts by the Watertown Police and Fire Departments as well as the Ixonia,
Lebanon and Johnson Creek departments which provided mutual aid. Their speed
and attention to detail contained the fire with the least amount of dam- age
possible.
Only
because of the community-wide support was the Watertown Fire Department not
only able to purchase but show us why we needed their newest fire equipment.
Every
attendee is a hero in our hearts.
Ultimate
Realty Co., LLC Susan Hutson Schramm, Kristin Schramm and Brian Hollenbeek
Pre
and Post
WHS_005_726
Three
weeks before fire of August 7, 2007
2007
04 27 Two community members are in the process of helping restore a
downtown building that was damaged by a blaze earlier this year. Carol Bohlman and
Jim Baade are assisting MarySue Mariani,
owner of 116 W. Main St., with the planning for fixing up the three-story
structure that caught on fire on Aug. 17. The fire was caused by an overloaded
electrical circuit in a second floor apartment above
Rico’s Italian Restaurant. The day after
the blaze Watertown fire Chief Henry Butts had estimated the damage at $50,000,
but Bohlman said inspectors think the amount is more
in the range of $200,000. Bohlman said she and
Baade are helping with the restoration project because Mariani
has been ill and working a full-time job, which has prevented her from tending
to the building all by herself.
Cross
References:
2009
04 27 A rehabilitated apartment at 116 1/2 W.
Main St. was damaged by a fire in August of 2007. Darrell Walsh, owner of 116 W. Main St.,
received an honorable mention award for Best Upper Story Rehabilitation Project
at the annual ceremony. The multistory building was damaged in August of 2007
following a fire. WDT
History of Watertown, Wisconsin