The Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that a 71-year-old man is dead following a early morning house fire on Friday. Crews from multiple departments responded to the fire in the 1900 block of Wochos Road in Franklin shortly after 1 a.m.
Chief Jeff Chalupny of the Tisch Mills Fire Department says upon arrival at the scene, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames, putting crews on a defensive approach immediately.
Chief Chalupny says the cold has been a struggle for the firefighters, but crews have been able to rotate out to combat the freezing temperatures. Firefighters are not the only ones being rotated out – Chief Chalupny says they’ve been monitoring the trucks to ensure they don’t freeze.
The fire remains under investigation, according to authorities.