Town of Colfax home completely destroyed by fire
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — A house south of Colfax in the Town of Colfax on 810th Avenue was completely destroyed by fire December 30.
The Colfax Fire Department and the Colfax Rescue Squad were called out to E8606 810th Avenue at about 10:30 a.m. that Monday morning.
The Colfax Rescue Squad arrived just prior to the fire department and immediately transported the entire family to the hospital, which included two adults and two children, said Colfax Fire Chief Don Logslett.
The house was owned by Bryan Jain and was occupied by Jain’s son and his family, Logslett said, noting that Jain was treated for burns but that he did not know the extent of the man’s injuries.
The Colfax Rescue Squad’s second ambulance was immediately dispatched to the scene, leaving Colfax without an ambulance and prompting a call for mutual aid from the Chippewa ambulance district to have an ambulance on call in Colfax.
The Menomonie Fire Department, the Elk Mound Fire Department, the Sand Creek Fire Department and the Town of Howard Fire Department provided mutual aid to Colfax.
The house was a total loss, Fire Chief Logslett said.
Dunn County Deputy Matt Feeney is investigating the cause of the fire, he noted.
The Colfax Fire Department was clear of the scene and back at the fire station by about 2:15 that afternoon.
Elk Mound and Sand Creek were back in service shortly thereafter.
Trained American Red Cross volunteers provided assistance to the family of five from Colfax, who were given emergency assistance in the form of food, clothing, and shelter.
Another structure fire reported at about 11:20 a.m. that same morning in the Town of Menomonie resulted in the Menomonie Fire Department calling the Boyceville Fire Department to be on standby in Menomonie.
According to radio transmissions from Dunn County dispatch, the home’s occupants had reported they could see fire in the wall near a woodstove.
As soon as Fire Chief Logslett realized they were past the point of saving the home on 810th Avenue, Menomonie was released from mutual aid, and Boyceville was released from standby status.