Fredonia couple escape blaze that torches house

A Fredonia couple awakened by windows exploding because of the heat of fire  escaped a blaze that destroyed their house last weekend.

Firefighters from throughout the area fought the fire at the home of Mark and Gretchen Gibb in the 200 block of N. Wilson St. not once but twice — extinguishing it  just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, only to be called back five hours later after it reignited, according to the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office. 

Firefighters from 11 departments descended upon the house at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the house. 

Capt. Marshall Hermann of the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office said that although an investigation is ongoing, it appears the fire started accidentally on the back deck of the house in a plastic bucket containing cigarette butts. 

“Most likely, a smoldering cigarette likely ignited the bucket of cigarette filters,” Hermann said. 

Hermann said flames from the bucket climbed an outside wall of the house and ignited an eave.

After being woken up by the fire, the Gibbs called 911.

“They were alerted to the fire when their windows started to bust because of the heat of the fire,” Hermann said. 

In addition to the Gibbs, their dogs and a cat escaped, although two other cats are unaccounted for, authorities said.

Firefighters extinguished the fire and left the scene at 12:45 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 5.

But at 6:11 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a neighbor who reported that the fire had reignited. It took firefighters the rest of the morning to extinguish the blaze, which destroyed what was left of the house.

Hermann said it is likely that gusting winds contributed to the fires.

The Gibbs’ daughter Allyssa Schowalter has launched a fundraising effort to assist her parents with the loss of their house and belongings.

On the page, Schowalter said losing the home she and her three brothers spent most of their childhood in was tragic. 

The home was also where Gretchen Gibb operated her composting business, Waste Not LLC. 

She said she was thankful her parents safely made it out of the  home but noted, “they are now left with nothing.” 

In just three days, $15,485 was fundraised through a GoFundMe page, where dozens of donors expressed their sympathies for the enormous loss. 

In a Facebook post Mark Gibb thanked the community for its help and assistance. 

“It has been incredible the amount of support we received from family, friends, neighbors and people we don’t even know,” he said. “We are so proud to live in the Fredonia. Its people are incredible.” 

He also offered his gratitude to the first responders who fought to save his home from the fire. 

Fire departments from Waubeka, Random Lake, Saukville, Cedar Grove, Fredonia, Belgium, Port Washington, Grafton, Newburg, Fillmore and Cedarburg assisted on the scene, as did WE Energies.

Donations can be made at www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-gibb-family-get-back-on-their-feet.