Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

House fire kills 3 U. Wisconsin-Stout students
By Tony Nelson
The Stoutonia (U. Wisconsin-Stout)
04/07/2008

(U-WIRE) MENOMONIE, Wisc. — Fire units arrived at the two-story duplex at 1415 8th street at 3:27 a.m., Saturday five minutes after the call was received at dispatch, but the quick response was not enough to save the life of three University of Wisconsin-Stout students.

April C. Englund, Scott A. Hams and Amanda Jean Rief were found after ten minutes into rescue and suppression maneuver. The victims were pronounced dead at Red Cedar Medical Center after attempts to resuscitate failed at the scene of the fire.

At a Saturday afternoon news conference, the preliminary cause of death was announced to be smoke inhalation.

"No major trauma to any of the victims were noticed," said Lt. Wendy Stelter of the Menomonie Police Department.

Englund, 21, was from West St. Paul, Minn. and was named on the lease of the residence. She was majoring in retail/ merchandising with a minor in business.

The other victims were 20-year-old Rief of Chaska, Minn. and Scott Hams, 23, of Hayward. Hams, a senior, was due to graduate in May. Both were majoring in business administration and are presumed to have been guests at the residence.

The cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation by the Menomonie Fire and Rescue Department, the Menomonie Police Department and a state fire investigator.

An open bottle of alcohol was found and consumption is expected, said MPD Chief Dennis Beety. He added there were no indications of drugs on the scene.

Others who resided in the back unit of the duplex were safely evacuated.

A Grief Center has been set up in Price Commons on the UW-Stout campus. Counseling is offered by University counselors.

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