Walworth County sheriff: One transported with injuries after town of Lafayette house explodes; cause unknown

TOWN OF LAFAYETTE — A home exploded Tuesday on Kulow Road in the Walworth County township of Lafayette, which is between Elkhorn and East Troy.

Walworth County Sheriff Dave Gerber said at a news conference Tuesday that deputies showed up to the house at about 2:30 p.m. and spotted a fire, and what had appeared to have been the aftermath of an explosion. Firefighters responded to the scene shortly thereafter, he said.

Elkhorn Area Fire Department Chief Trent Eichmann said at the news conference that firefighters found one person in the basement of the home, and it took them about 30-40 minutes to remove them from the basement. That person was transported to a hospital via Flight for Life, Eichmann said. The person was not identified. It is unknown if the person will survive, Eichmann said at the press conference.

“It looked like when the house exploded, most of it laid down into one side of the basement, and that’s where the gentleman was found, on one side of the basement where the majority of the rubble was found,” Eichmann said.

Eichmann said that the man was the only known occupant of the home at the time of the explosion, but first responders are searching the area to ensure there is no one else who might have been hurt as a result of the explosion.

Eichmann said that there will be an investigation as to what led to the blast. The state fire marshal is assisting with the investigation.

No other homes were affected.

This story may be updated.