Duplex damaged by Saturday blaze
New London firefighters responded to a fire at a duplex Saturday, June 8, at 200 W. Beacon Ave., New London.
When fire crews arrived at the scene shortly before 9 a.m., they found flames climbing the outside wall of the duplex.
The fire had already extended into the attic and the interior walls.
A passing motorcyclist who saw the fire alerted residents.
A woman in one unit fled the building with her three children and a cat.
A woman, her 4-year-old daughter and a dog escaped the other unit.
New London firefighters rescued a pet rabbit from the second floor of the building.
Manawa, Hortonville, Weyauwega, Shiocton, Bear Creek, Fremont and Dale crews joined the effort to control the blaze.
According to the New London Fire Department, the duplex “sustained considerable fire, water and smoke damage and is unlivable.”
Fire crews were at the scene for nearly 3 1/2 hours.
Tenants from one of the units of the duplex told the fire department they normally smoke cigarettes outside and throw the cigarette butts into a small plastic flower pot.
The pot was located on a wooden deck where the fire burned the exterior wall.
There were no injuries.