Shed Set Ablaze Saturday

The Sparta Area Fire District was paged to a reported structure fire, at 7013 Hamlet Ave., west of Sparta, on Saturday afternoon, at 12:37 p.m.. Upon arrival, the outbuilding was fully engulfed in flames and was spreading to other structures that had been added on to the main building. The smoke was billowing as it reached the carport, which is attached to the house, but the residents got their vehicles out and the fire never actually reached to the carport. The structure sustained heavy fire damage and the outbuilding was a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Sparta Area Fire District was on the scene for about four hours and they were assisted by the Sparta Ambulance Service and Fort McCoy Fire Department and Monroe County 911 Center. Crews were extinguishing the shed fire, when a second call came for a reported vehicle on fire, off Kale Road, in the town of Leon, at 1:17 p.m.. The vehicle was reported to be some distance back into the woods. Only 4-wheel drive and the Departments all-wheel drive Engine were able to get back to the vehicle fire. Fire Chief, Mike Arnold, said the people were going out in the woods to cut wood and take their kids sledding, when they smelled smoke coming from the engine compartment. Chief Arnold said, “The vehicle was fully engulfed when we got there.”

The Sparta Area Fire District extinguished the fire and Chief Mike Arnold reported the vehicle was a total loss. No injuries were reported in either fire. The department was assisted by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department and Sparta Ambulance Service and Monroe County 911 Center.