At least 17 injured in Pulaski-area bonfire explosion, but as many as 40 hurt, Shawano County Sheriff's Office says. Police seek witnesses

Seventeen people took themselves to local hospitals after a bonfire blazed out of control at a Maple Grove home early Saturday, but more than twice that number may have been injured, the Shawano County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

A statement from the sheriff's office said investigators believe as many as 30 to 40 people were injured in the fire, which involved current and former students of Pulaski Community School District. Police are still gathering information on the severity of the injuries, although they said some of the people were in critical condition and others have been released from hospitals where they sought treatment.

Authorities said detectives from the sheriff's office will be available from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Pulaski Police Department, 585 E. Glenbrook Drive.

"We are asking that any victims or witnesses who have not spoken to law enforcement to please come during this time to meet with our detectives," the sheriff's office said, calling the case a "tragic event."

Accelerant thrown into bonfire

Authorities said they hope to gather further details about the explosion in the bonfire, which happened in the early-morning hours of Oct. 15 at a home on Cedar Drive in Maple Grove.

An accelerant was thrown onto the flames that caused the fire "to expand out of control," the sheriff's office said.

Witnesses described seeing others catch fire and rolling on the ground as bystanders tried to extinguish the flames with their sweatshirts.

"It was like sending firebombs out to all these kids," Jen Ziech, who set up a fundraiser for her nephew, told the Green Bay Press-Gazette over the weekend.

"These kids were on fire. There was kids helping kids, rolling them and patting them down, trying to do whatever they could," Ziech said.

According to online GoFundMe pages set up to raise money for the burn victims and their families, some had to go as far as Milwaukee and Madison to for treatment.

'Unprecedented situation'

"This is an unprecedented situation, but it is in times of crisis that the Pulaski community has shown time and again that we will pull together to overcome," Allison Space, the Pulaski Community School District superintendent, wrote in a statement Monday afternoon.

The district is providing mental health and grief counselors. Support can be found by calling the Brown and Shawano County Crisis Lines at 715-526-3240 or the Oconto County After Hours Crisis Line at 920-496-7000.

Walk-in appointments are available for Shawano County residents at W7327 Anderson Ave. in Shawano from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and for Brown County residents at 3150 Gershwin Drive in Green Bay 24 hours a day.

Oak Ridge Counseling and Consulting is also providing support at 920-264-7845.

Students and families can visit the Parent Resources page on the Pulaski Community School District website for additional resources.

To learn about ways to donate and fundraising efforts, the school district is asking residents to call the Pulaski United Foundation at 920-822-6051.

An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident should call the Shawano County Sheriff's Office at 715-526-3111.

Benita Mathew and Danielle DuClos contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Pulaski bonfire explosion injured at least 17, up to 40, sheriff says