Crime & Safety
Wisconsin Explosion Kills Man, Sparks Fire That Spreads to Woods
Black River Falls, WI – A deadly explosion at a residential property in western Wisconsin Sunday morning left one man dead and sparked a fire that began spreading into nearby woods, prompting a respon
By Dylan Reeves · 2026-10-12T19:42:13.919Z
Black River Falls, WI – A deadly explosion at a residential property in western Wisconsin Sunday morning left one man dead and sparked a fire that began spreading into nearby woods, prompting a response from multiple fire and emergency agencies.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff 's Office, authorities received a report of an explosion at approximately 9:38 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, at a residence on Arrow Road in the Town of Knapp.
The caller reported a large explosion involving an outbuilding on the property and indicated that someone was trapped inside.
Emergency crews arrived to find the building burning, with flames beginning to spread into the surrounding wooded area.
Firefighters and emergency personnel worked to extinguish the structure fire and address the spreading flames.
During the response, crews located an adult man inside the building. Authorities confirmed that he was deceased.
The man's identity has not been released.
Multiple agencies assisted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, including Tomah and Warrens EMS, the Warrens Fire Department , Tomah DNR Fire and the Black River Falls Fire Department.
The involvement of several emergency response agencies highlights the challenges crews faced with both a burning structure and fire spreading toward nearby vegetation.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
In a news release issued Monday, Oct. 12, Capt. Evan Mazur of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office confirmed that investigators are continuing to examine the incident.
Officials have not publicly identified what caused the explosion or provided details about the circumstances leading up to the fire.
Authorities also have not announced when the victim's identity might be released.
The fatal incident occurred in Jackson County, west of the Tomah area in western Wisconsin.
Additional information may become available as investigators work to determine the cause of the explosion and resulting fire.