FULTON — A 74-year-old man died Saturday in a house fire in the town of Fulton that drew a response from multiple fire and law enforcement agencies.
According to a news release, Lakeside Fire-Rescue and Rock County Sheriff’s Office units were alerted by the Rock County 911 Center at 10:02 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16 of a caller reporting a house fire on Newville Road in the Town of Fulton (between Edgerton and Milton).
A passer by reported seeing flames on the outside of the home spreading to the roof.
Lakeside Fire-Rescue units from Milton and Edgerton were dispatched, and given the report of flames showing from the structure, Lakeside Fire requested the incident be upgraded, which added additional fire and EMS units from Janesville, Evansville and Stoughton to the response.
The Rock County 911 Center tried to make phone contact with the listed resident but there was no answer.
The first law enforcement units to arrive from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office believed the resident was likely still inside the home.
The first Lakeside units arrived in 6 minutes – 59 seconds, and knowing the potential of someone still being inside, made immediate access into the home and encountered fire in the living room area on the first floor with heavy smoke and heat conditions throughout.
There were no victims found in the living room area, so crews then began a search of the bedroom areas and found a man down in a second floor bedroom.
The man was immediately brought outside where paramedics determined the 74-year-old had already died.
Because of the heavy fire conditions encountered on both the first and second floors, the incident was upgraded to a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) “Box Alarm” which added additional fire and support units from Brooklyn, Cambridge, Deerfield, Footville, Fort Atkinson, and Orfordville. Lake Mills Fire Department provided an engine to stand by in case of another incident in the Lakeside region.
Officials noted there were no smoke alarms in the home, and the home was not equipped with automatic fire sprinklers.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Wisconsin State Fire Marshall’s Office. All indications are that the fire was unintentional, and a tragic accident.
The victim was the sole resident and occupant of the home.
The actual cause of death is being investigated by the Rock County Medical Examiner, with more detailed analysis planned for this coming week.
Fire units were assisted by law enforcement units from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Milton Police Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.