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• Officials await report on tragic Menomonie fire
• Vigil tonight for UW-Stout students lost in weekend fire
• Kaler resigning as Ellsworth's superintendent at end of year
• Pierce & Pepin counties to take unwanted medications April 19

By Wheeler News Service

Fire officials in Menomonie are waiting for a ruling from the state fire marshal, before saying what caused Saturday's blaze that killed three University of Wisconsin-Stout students.

However, Menomonie Police Chief Dennis Beety says it was, "a horrific and tragic accident."

The fire took place at a two-story structure at 1415 8th St. East and was called in at approximately 3:37 a.m.

Scott Hams, 23, Hayward, April Englund, 21West Saint Paul, Minn., Amanda Rief, 20, Chaska, Minn., all died in the fire.

Englund lived in the building, but the others were sleeping over after her roommates had left town.

Neighbors who heard smoke alarms called 911. The fire marshal investigated the blaze along with the Menomonie fire and police departments.

Fire officials say the smoke alarms were still going off when they arrived.

Fire battalion chief Denny Klass says the state's report is due out soon. It might take a month to get the victims' toxicology reports back from the State Crime Lab.

UW-Stout Communications Department contributed to this story.

University of Wisconsin-Stout officials say a vigil service will be held tonight (Monday) for the three students lost in an off-campus fire early Saturday.

Scott Hams, 23, Hayward; April Englund, 21West Saint Paul, Minn.; and Amanda Rief, 20, Chaska, Minn., all died in the fire.

The vigil is planned for 7:30 p.m. in the Grandview Terrace, located on the upper floor of the Memorial Student Center located 302 10th Ave E. (at the corner of 10th Avenue E. and 3rd Street E.).

Parking for will be available in Lot 29, south of the Memorial Student Center.

The fire took place in a two-story structure at 1415 8th St. E. and was called in at around 3:37 a.m.

Englund was a senior majoring in retail merchandising and management, Rief was a sophomore majoring in business administration, and Hams was a senior also majoring in business administration.

University officials will also hold a press conference at 1:30 p.m. today to provide an update on the incident.

By Bill Kirk, RiverTowns staff

Dan Kaler is resigning as superintendent of the Ellsworth School District, effective the end of this school year.

Kaler confirmed the resignation Monday. He said he'll be making his health a priority.

"I think very highly of this district and the people in it," he said.

Kaler succeeded Jim Streifel as local school superintendent in July of 2005. He began his education career in 1970 as a social studies teacher at Oltman Junior High School in St. Paul Park, Minn. He spent six years in that position before becoming the junior high assistant principal.

He later became the junior high principal in St. Paul Park, then took over as principal of Woodbury (Minn.) High School. His next position was as the assistant superintendent for K-12 Curriculum and Instruction.

In 1990, he left South Washington County (Minn.) Schools to become the Grand Rapids (Minn.) Superintendent of Schools. He held that position for four years before moving on to become the Director of Secondary Education in the Rosemount, Apple Valley and Eagan (Minn.) Schools.

Kaler spent four years as superintendent of schools in the North St. Paul, Maplewood and Oakdale (Minn.) Schools before retiring from the Minnesota school system.

Pierce and Pepin counties will provide free disposal of unwanted medications during the two-county Clean Sweep scheduled for Friday, April 18, at Durand and Saturday, April 19, at Ellsworth.

The unwanted medications will be collected at the same events already accepting pesticides, fertilizers, solvents, fuels, cleaning agents, lead, oil- and latex-based paints, and other chemicals from farms and residences in the counties.

Businesses and institutions in the counties are also welcome to participate in the event, but may be subject to fees for the service.

Residents and farmers of either county may use either event, according to Pierce County Solid Waste Coordinator Steve Melstrom.

The Pepin County Clean Sweep will be held from 12:30 to 3 p.m. April 18 at the Pepin County Highway Shop, 312 10th Ave. E. in Durand. Pierce County's event will be from 8 a.m. to noon April 19 at the Pierce County Materials Recovery Facility on Hwy. 65 just north of Ellsworth.

"We have been encouraging farmers, residents and business people to look through their barns, sheds, garages, basements, storage cabinets, and under the kitchen and bathroom sinks for any and all unwanted chemicals and paints," Melstrom said.

"Now we're asking them to look in their medicine cabinets, too, for any and all unwanted medications they may find hiding in there," he added.

This will be the first time the counties will collect unwanted medications. However, both counties have accepted mercury thermometers for the past several years.

Anyone who has an unknown material in a quantity of more than five gallons should contact the Pierce or Pepin County solid waste offices in advance for assistance in identifying it and determining whether it is hazardous.

Businesses and institutions should also contact the county solid waste offices in advance to arrange for participation in the events.

All materials with package or container labels displaying a consumer alert (words like "Warning, Caution, Danger, Corrosive, Toxic, Flammable, Hazardous, Poison") can be taken to the Clean Sweeps, along with all lead, oil and latex paint, including aerosol paints.

"All materials, including the unwanted medications, should be kept in their original containers so they can be identified and disposed of properly through Clean Sweep," he said. "Any latex or oil paint hardened-in-the-can can be placed in the regular garbage," he added.

For more information, contact the Pierce County Solid Waste Office at 273.3092 or the Pepin County Solid Waste Office at 715.672.5709.