Early AM fire destroys FJ house UPDATED

Posted at 5 a.m. on July 10, 2021

The Brillion News

FOREST JUNCTION - A house fire that was reported around 3 a.m. Saturday, July 10, destroyed a two-story building on Church Street, about three blocks south of U.S. 10.

A young couple with two children lived at the house, but were not home at the time the fire struck.

The second floor of the two-story frame home was fully engulfed by fire when the first firefighters arrived.

The Calumet County Sheriff's Department dispatched the Forest Junction Fire Department at the first report of the fire - even before dispatchers knew where in the community the fire was located.

Instead, firefighters were dispatched to head to the fire station and prepare to head to the scene, once it was identified.

The Forest Junction Fire Department was sent to Church Street and almost immediately activated the county's Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), and the Brillion, Hilbert, Potter, Chilton and Hollandtown volunteer fire departments were dispatched later.

The sheriff's department blocked off Church Street at U.S. 10, north of the fire scene, and at Harvestore Road, south of the scene.

Brillion Ambulance and Town of Brillion EMS First Responders also went to the fire scene.

An hour and a half into the battle, the second story remained in flames, with the roof and walls collapsing.

By that time, the fire had made its way down to the first floor and the whole house was destroyed.

A neighbor said she smelled smoke before the fire was reported, but had no idea where it was coming from for several minutes.

She said the residents are a young family and neighbors were hoping they were away for the weekend. It turned out to be the case, thankfully.

WBAY-TV2 incorrectly reported that the fire was in the City of Brillion. It was not.

The last firefighters cleared the scene around noon on Saturday. The extent of the damage was obvious, with most of the roof gone and the second floor structure collapsing into the first floor, which was also gutted.

~ Ed Byrne/BN photos and text