An explosion that tore through a southern Wisconsin home on Tuesday afternoon has claimed the life of 68-year-old Leland Holden, according to authorities. The incident occurred in Lafayette, a rural community roughly 45 miles southwest of Milwaukee, and resulted in the complete destruction of Holden's residence. In a Facebook post, the Walworth County Sheriff's Office confirmed Holden's passing after he was rescued from the basement of his demolished home and later died at a local hospital trauma center.
Emergency calls reporting the explosion reached dispatchers around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, prompting a swift response from sheriff's deputies and the Elkhorn Fire Department. An initial 911 call about, a structure fire and possible explosion at Holden’s Kulow Road address led to a search effort for survivors amidst the debris. Information obtained by CBS News and ABC7NY indicated that it took first responders over thirty minutes to locate and extract Holden from under the rubble.
Elkhorn Area Fire Chief Trent Eichmann described the scene, saying "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." The family of the victim has verified that Holden was the only person present in the home at the time of the blast. Fire and police officials continued to secure and search the area to ensure no other individuals were involved. Though the exact cause of the explosion has not been specified, initial findings suggest propane gas, commonly used in the rural locality, may have been the catalyst. Chief Eichmann noted the extent of the explosion's impact, recounting that local fire departments "heard the boom, felt the boom."
There is reportedly no ongoing threat to the Lafayette area following the incident. The Elkhorn Fire Department is presently conducting an investigation into the explosion's cause, with support from the State Fire Marshal and the Walworth County Sheriff's Office. Video footage taken later on Tuesday showed little remaining of the Holden residence except for the debris scattered by the force of the explosion. Despite this tragic event, officials do not believe there is a continued risk to the community.
