Sunday morning blaze being investigated as suspicious, police seek video from neighbors

An early morning fire has destroyed a home at 634 North Franklin Street, in Stanley. Reported around 5:15 a.m. on Sunday March 13 and fully engulfed when responding personnel arrived, the fire resulted in temporary street closure and yellow tape at the site, but no human fatalities. A cat was the only occupant at the time of the fire, while no one was transported from the site by ambulance.

“We did come with the ambulance but we didn’t have to treat anybody,” Boyd-Edson-Delmar Fire and Ambulance Chief Ron Patten said of the early morning blaze.

Closed off with yellow tape saying in part, “do not cross,” the heavily damaged home saw a response from Stanley Fire, Boyd-Edson-Delmar Fire and Am – bulance, Thorp Area Fire, the Sheriff's office, and WE Energies as flames raged earlier in the morning. After the fire was reduced to smoke and ash Stanley police chief Lance Weiland had more to add.

“At this point it’s still an ongoing investigation,” Stanley police chief Lance Weiland said as firefight – ers from Stanley fire disconnected the hydrant hoses around 8:30 a.m. “Hopefully we’ll know more later today.”

Reached a day later on Monday, Weiland had little more to provide, though he did say that two investi- gators from the State Fire Marshal's office had been on scene the day before.

City of Stanley firefighters together with Thorp and Boyd-Edson-Delmar, battle a blaze Sunday March 13 at 634 North Franklin Street in Stanley Sunday morning. Photo by Joseph Back. FIRE CALL

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“Not a whole lot at this point,” he said of updates about the blaze. “It’s still being investigated. As such, neighbors who might have surveillance video from the time of the blaze on Sunday are urged to call the police department non-emergency line at 715-644-5975.

That said and despite rumors, Weiland said there was currently “nothing to support” a drug connection in regard to the fire from Sunday.

"A suspicious fire under suspicious circumstances,” Weiland said as the cur- rent official line on what happened at 634 North Franklin Sunday.

Reached Sunday for comment, Fire Chief Korey Hagenson was too busy to talk, the fire still being attended to. At – tempts to obtain comment Monday were unsuccessful.

Lieutenant Jeff Ryba of the Stanley Fire Department shuts off a hydrant around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the remains of a burned out house on North Franklin Street are seen in the background. Photo by Joseph Back.