Cold leaves area firefighters battling fire, ice

When an arctic blast bombarded Fond du Lac earlier this month, area firefighters responded to several blazes that were indirectly caused by individuals trying to cope with the bitter cold.

Weather plays a big part in winter fires, said Capt. Nick Sphatt of the Fond du Lac Fire Department.

Fireplaces, wood burners and other heating devices used to warm up spaces have been known to start fires.

Other problems occur when furnaces are running overtime, causing possible carbon monoxide buildup in homes, Schmitz said.“Every home should have a CO (carbon monoxide) detector,” he said.

Officials will know in coming weeks if carbon monoxide contributed to the deaths of two sisters, ages 10 and 11, who died in a rural mobile home fire in Shawano County, according to Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers.