MAUSTON, WI – A devastating house fire in Wisconsin claimed the lives of six family members over the weekend. The victims included a retired pastor, his two daughters, and three young granddaughters, according to officials.
The deceased has been identified as 66-year-old Steven Witte, his daughters, 38-year-old Charis Kuehl, and 35-year-old Lydia Witte. The three children, aged between 2 and 8 years, were not identified by authorities in a release by the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.
Witte had a history of service as a missionary in Thailand and was a former pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Green Bay from 2001 until 2009. A statement from the church and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod President Mark Schroeder confirmed that his daughters, Lydia and Charis, and his three granddaughters were the victims of the house fire.
The fire broke out in Necedah in the early hours of Sunday morning during a family gathering at the house, according to Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions Administrator. Schlomer lamented the heavy toll the fire took on the family, expressing distress at the magnitude of the loss.
The investigation into the cause of the fire continues with help from the state fire marshal. The sheriff’s office mentioned in its release that, based on the preliminary findings, the fire appears to have been accidental.