6 people, including children, killed in Wisconsin house fire

NECEDAH, Wis. (AP) — A house fire in Wisconsin killed six family members, authorities said Monday, adding that early indications are that the blaze was accidental.

Emergency responders were called to a house fire in Necedah around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, according to a news release posted Monday on the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. They arrived to find the home engulfed in flames.

Firefighters battled the blaze for three hours. Authorities have not released the names of the six people who died.

The sheriff’s office said the fire appears to be accidental but an investigation is ongoing. The state fire marshal is assisting at local authorities’ request.

The state fire marshal operates as part of the state Department of Justice. Agency spokesperson Gillian Drummond said the marshal typically gets involved at the request of local police or fire departments to help determine a fire’s origin and causes. There’s no minimum dollar threshold for damage nor a requirement that foul play is suspected for the marshal to get involved.