WAUPACA COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Five buildings were deemed uninhabitable Wednesday afternoon after a 1,000 gallon propane tank exploded in Waupaca County.
The Waupaca Area Fire District received report of a small structure fire at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, according to fire chief Jerry Deuman.
Deuman says the fire creeped into surrounding fields as well, bringing the Department of Natural Resources to the scene as well.
The DNR put out two quarter-acre fires along the wood line about a quarter mile from the scene, according to Deuman.
Eight different departments were called onto the scene on Nelsen Road.
The fire started in what Deuman called a “summer kitchen” — a kitchen with a wood burning stove. However, the fire is still under investigation.
Shortly after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, crews were waiting for an excavator to arrive to move the hay so that they could completely extinguish the fire.
Two firefighters are being treated for minor heat exhaustion, but no other injuries were reported.
The Red Cross is helping the occupants of the homes.
