TOWN OF GRANT, WI (WTAQ) – The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that Steve Verg has died as a result of injuries sustained in an explosion Monday afternoon.
Sheriff Officials say the owner of the building, 62-year-old Steve Verg was one of the four people injured in the blast.
He is being remembered as a member of the Caroline Lions Club.
“He lives for the Colorama, in the spring he does Maple Syrup and he loves to hunt, those three things are Steve.”
Jim Polzin of the Lions Club says Verg and the three others injured in the blast were at Verg’s property doing work for the upcoming Caroline Colorama.
“They were either taking something from his shop or picking up something from his shop to bring back to our building.”
Polzin says the work was starting to pick up for the event, and members were putting a lot of time into it.
“If that would have happened the next week, there might have been another 10 of us there,” he said. “It could have wiped out half the club.”
The Caroline Lions Club has about 50 members. Polzin says Verg is a tough one to lose.
“He would never so no. If I called him, he would do what I ask, he never said no.
Polzin says it is heartbreaking to know that he was injured and later died doing what he loves.
The names of the other three injured have not been released, but officials say they are all men and all suffered severe burns.
“When you are burnt on 50 percent of your body, it is not good. They have third-degree burns on 50 percent of their body, they are not out of the woods yet.
On September 23, 2019 the Shawano Sheriff’s Office received a report of a structure fire/house explosion.
This report came in at 15:46.
The reporting party stated 4 people were injured.
The following Agencies responded to the scene: Marion Police Department, Clintonville Ambulance, Tigerton Ambulance, Shawano Ambulance. Fire Departments from: Clintonville, Bowler, Town of Grant, Tigerton, Marion and Town of Pella responded.
The Shawano Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation with the assistance of the Wisconsin State Fire Marshal’s Office.
4 persons were transported by Ambulance and/or Helicopter (Spirit 1, Spirit 2, Theda Star and Eagle 3 Helicopters), including the owner of the building.
