Construction Pile Goes Up in Flames

It took 35,000 gallons of water to douse a burning pile of construction debris, but the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department got it done Monday.

The department was dispatched to GFL Environmental on Division Road in Sturgeon Bay at 10:13 am, Aug. 23, and cleared out by 1:29 pm.

“That is a lot of water,” said Karin Montevideo, assistant fire chief, because the pile “kept smoldering up and was hard to get underneath and get it out.”

The department responded with the main engine and two water-tender trucks. The tenders each hold up to 2,000 gallons of water. 

The pile was fully ignited by the time the department arrived on the scene, but firefighters kept it contained. It did not threaten any buildings at any time, and no one was hurt. Later the same evening, a hot spot smoldering within the pile flared up that sent firefighters back to the scene, but they were able to put out the flame with about 100 gallons of water.

Montevideo said the cause of the fire is undetermined, but it is not suspicious and there will not be an investigation.