FITCHBURG, WI (WSAU) A 57-year-old man is at UW Hospital with critical injuries after his house in Fitchburg blew up. The man was found in the rubble in his front yard last evening around 6:45. The cause of the explosion is still being investigated.
“This is a significant explosion,” said Fitchburg fire chief Joe Pulvermacher. “We haven’t seen one like this in the city of Fitchburg.” Firefighters say they smelled natural gas as they arrived at the scene.
The explosion badly damaged three other homes and 23 other structures had at least minor damage. Some of the buildings are so badly damaged that they may need to be demolished.
The MetroSource news wire and the Wisconsin Radio Network contributed to this report.