Two Wisconsin Firefighters Treated Following Blaze
TREMPEALEAU, Wis. -- Alvin "Rob" Stanislowski's breathing was labored, the aftereffect of smoke inhalation, as he lamented the loss of his beloved dog but expressed gratitude that no other lives were lost in a half-million-dollar inferno that destroyed his recycling business and auto body shop near Trempealeau on Sunday.
Two firefighters also suffered smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion while trying to control the blaze, with the help of personnel from a dozen other fire departments and several other local and state agencies, according to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department.
Stanislowski, 44, who estimated the loss of the longtime family business, his body shop and tools at $500,000, was treated for smoke inhalation after he rushed into the burning building, fearing that his girlfriend's son, Jordan Bakken, was trapped inside.
"I thought he was in the shop because that's where he was when I left," Stanislowski said in an interview Sunday night.
Bakken was safe, having called 911 after the fire broke out about 10:30 a.m. But Stanislowski's dog, 2 1/2 -year-old Sadie, perished, trapped under a desk in Stanislowski's office.
Stanislowski said he saw the billowing smoke and flames as he returned from grocery shopping to his home next to his Centerville Recycling.
"It didn't take five minutes" for the blaze, fueled with bales of recycled plastic, to consume the recycling building, the body shop and tools, demo cars in the shop and his neighbor's Model A pickup stored there, Stanislowski said as he stood near the twisted metal and blackened remains.
Stanislowski was emotional as he cautioned against moving a large blue plastic tub sheltering Sadie's body until she can be buried. The rottweiler was "the biggest baby you've ever seen in your life," he said, choking back a sob.
The conflagration defied the efforts of firefighters after the Tremp-ealeau Fire Department found the buildings engulfed in flames, according to the sheriff's department. The Tremp-ealeau Fire Department called for help from the Galesville and Arcadia/ Glencoe fire departments, who responded en masse. The following departments also helped provide water and equipment: Ettrick, Dodge, Independence, Whitehall, Blair/Preston, Fountain City, Waumandee and Holmen.
Also providing assistance at the scene besides the Trempealeau County Sheriff's/Emergency Management Department were the Galesville Police Department, the Wiscon-sin State Patrol and Hilton Excavating. Wisconsin Emergency Management and the state Department of Natural Resources also were notified.
A sheriff's department news release Sunday night said the cause hadn't been determined, but Stanis-lowski said he believed it was an electrical fire.
He was treated for smoke inhalation at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. One firefighter was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, and another, from Galesville, was taken to a La Crosse hospital for observation for smoke inhalation, according to the sheriff's department.
Stanislowski said he hopes to rebuild, although he'll have to talk to his parents and the insurance company before deciding.
"We've been in the recycling business for 35 years," said Stanislowski, who opened the body shop 16 years ago. "We were the original recyclers for all of the townships" until a county facility opened.
"I don't care about the material things," he said, motioning toward the charred remains of his livelihood, "as long as we're all OK."
Copyright 2012 - La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service