The fire broke out just before 2:30 a.m. at a vacation rental where the family was staying near the Wisconsin Dells
Six people, including a 66-year-old pastor and his three young granddaughters, tragically lost their lives after a fire broke out early in the morning at their vacation rental near the Wisconsin Dells, as reported by authorities.
The devastating incident claimed the lives of Rev. Steve Witte, along with his adult daughters Lydia Witte and Charis Kuehl, and his granddaughters Stella Kuehl, Lena Henselin, and Merci Henselin, according to information from a GiveSendGo fundraiser and their family’s church, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).
The fire ignited shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 30, at a residence in Necedah, based on a press release from the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office.
When emergency responders arrived on the scene, they initially thought that two or three people were still inside. They discovered “multiple individuals” in the driveway of the home, which was entirely engulfed in flames.
Despite fighting the fire for approximately three hours, authorities soon confirmed that six people were unaccounted for and remained inside the burning house, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
Mark Schroeder, the president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, expressed the profound grief that has enveloped the community: “The pain of losing six members of one family cannot be described with words.”
Rev. Steve Witte was a minister at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Green Bay in the early 2000s and had recently served as a missionary in Thailand.
Pastor Larry Schlomer shared with NBC affiliate WMTV that Witte initially managed to escape the fire but went back inside upon realizing that his grandchildren were still trapped.
“He actually made it out of the house and found out that two of his granddaughters were still inside,” Schlomer told the news station. “He went back in, seeing if he could save them and unfortunately, did not make it. It was such a tremendous loss, that many deaths within the same family.”
The Wisconsin Department of Justice and the State Fire Marshal are currently investigating the cause of the fire, which appears to have been an accident, according to the sheriff’s office.
In a community struck by such an enormous loss, it is heartening to see how people unite to provide support. The fundraiser sites and the caring words from individuals reflect the strength and solidarity in times of grief. The memories and the legacy of the family will live on in the hearts of many, showcasing the lasting impact they made in their community.
