MAPLE GROVE, Wis. — As many as 40 people were hurt when a bonfire leaped out of control over the weekend in eastern Wisconsin.
The incident, in the town of Maple Grove, was at a celebratory bonfire that followed Friday’s homecoming football game, WTMJ reported.
The Pulaski Community School District said in a message to families, obtained by WLUK, that some of the individuals injured include current and former students.
Accelerant was poured on the bonfire early Saturday morning, causing the fire to burn “out of control,” and burning several people, Shawano County Detective Craig Rekoske told WLUK.
In a news release, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office said it was continuing to investigate the incident but was informed on Monday “that officers and detectives will not be allowed to conduct interviews at the schools.” Detectives asked in the news release for any victims or witnesses to come to the Pulaski Police Department on Oct. 19 to meet with detectives. Investigators said they are looking for statements, as well as videos as part of their investigation.
Investigators said in the news release that approximately 17 victims took themselves to area hospitals, suffering a range of injuries, some of which were described as critical. Detectives said that based on the information they have gathered, they believe there were 30-40 victims in total.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene as people and clothing caught fire.
“It was like sending firebombs out to all these kids,” Jen Ziech, whose nephew was injured, told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “These kids were on fire. There was kids helping kids, rolling them and patting them down, trying to do whatever they could.”
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Office said it was not made aware of the incident until the dispatch center alerted them that burn victims were showing up at area hospitals, WLUK reported.
“Our priority is to figure out what happened with this tragic event, why this fire obviously got out of hand,” Lt. Chris Madle, with the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office, told WTMJ. There’s kids that are pretty critically injured from this instance.”