21 Local Fire Departments Assist At Rural Barn Fire

Waupun, WI. – At 1:10 PM Sunday, April 30, 2023, Waupun Fire Department responded to W6991 Oakwood Road for a report of a barn on fire.

Upon arrival, smoke and flames were visible coming from the 120’ x 40’ barn.

Fire crews initiated a defensive attack while protecting exposures to the east and west of the barn.

Roughly 30 minutes after arrival, the roof collapsed over 3/4 of the structure which hampered suppression efforts.

Crews were on scene for 3 ½ hours before the fire was out. No animals were in the barn as it was largely used for storage.

The property is owned by Pauline Buchholz who was home at the time the fire broke out.

The barn and contents inside were a complete loss with no initial damage estimates at this time.

No firefighters or individuals at the scene were hurt during the incident. The Waupun Fire Department, along with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

Due to the rural nature of this property, numerous resources were needed to assist with shuttling water to the scene and assisting with additional staffing. The following departments assisted: Alto, Beaver Dam, Brandon-Fairwater, Brownsville, Burnett, City of Fond du Lac, Cambria, Columbus, Fox Lake, Horicon, Iron Ridge, Juneau, Lamartine, Markesan, Oakfield, Randolph, Ripon, Town of Fond du Lac, a Rapid Intervention Team from Calumet, Mt. Calvary, and St. Cloud, Lifestar Ambulance and Alliant Energy.

A special thanks goes out to the Fond du Lac and Dodge County Dispatch Centers for their support and to A. Glewen & Sons Excavating for helping move debris so the fire could be fully extinguished.