Fire destroys area home

By Steve Sharp of the Daily Times staff
Friday, January 2, 2009 12:41 PM CST

Firefighters from several area departments are shown battling a blaze Wednesday at a home on High Road in the town of Watertown. No injuries were reported but the house was a total loss. (ADAM TOBIAS/Daily Times)

TOWN OF WATERTOWN - The Johnson Creek Fire Department, along with several other departments, responded to a house fire Wednesday at 12:40 p.m. The home, however, had been engulfed in flames for too long and firefighters were unable to prevent a total loss of the structure. No injuries were reported, but two dogs died.

According to Johnson Creek fire Chief Tim Whitham, the department received notification of the fire at 12:40 p.m. and fire crews arrived at the home, located at 7970 High Road, at 12:45 p.m. There was no one at home at the time of the fire. Whitham said the cause of the fire is still being investigated.

“The fire started in the kitchen, but we are waiting to make a final determination on its cause,” Whitham told the Daily Times, adding that the cause of the fire is believed to have been accidental. “There was no malicious intent, but before we sign our names to anything we have to make some verifications.”

Whitham said the home had been moved to its High Road location several years ago from the city of Watertown. An addition was put onto the home in the 1980s, he said.

A total of 35 firefighters were on the scene of the blaze for five hours. Johnson Creek received aid from the Watertown, Ixonia and Lake Mills fire departments.

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“The cold weather was starting to be a factor,” Whitham said. “Footing was becoming difficult, due to the buildup of ice. We had to keep water constantly circulating and we had to keep our guys rotating.”

Whitham said crews initially made a serious attack on the blaze, but had to pull back due to extreme heat and fire.

“Then there was a partial collapse of the rear of the building and safety concerns delayed fighting the fire,” he said. “We were weighing the risks versus the benefits. We figured it wasn't worth getting anyone hurt because it had been burning a long time before a passerby could see it from the outside and call it in.”