A devastating house fire in the Town of Spring Prairie, Walworth County, claimed the lives of two residents on the night of Saturday. The fire began before 6 p.m. and took over the second story of the house located on Highway 11. The victims were later identified by the Walworth County Sheriff's Office as 58-year-old Bradly Chapman and 83-year-old Sylvia Chapman, confirmed to be mother and son. WISN reported that over 20 fire departments were called to the scene to combat the extensive blaze that eventually led to the tragic discovery.
Local resident and driver Jean Barry, who lives in the downstairs unit of the home affected by the fire, noted the extensive damage to her residence due to smoke and water. "I had a lot of smoke damages and a lot of water damage. The actual flame and burning was pretty much upstairs," Barry told CBS 58. According to neighbors, the ensuing fire response was significant enough that a part Highway 11 was blocked, as detailed by FOX6. The massive emergency operation added to the community's tension on that fateful evening.
The aftermath found Jean Barry expressing her sorrow over the loss of the Chapmans. "Oh, gosh. Of course I'm very sad. I mean, you know, it's life taken," she said in a statement obtained by CBS 58. Barry is currently staying with her daughter after being displaced from her home due to the incident. She echoed a sentiment of resilience amidst the tragedy, "It was a tragedy. There's nothing to do now but to go forward and you know, get on with life," Barry stated.
In the days following the incident, the cause of the fire remains undetermined, and ongoing investigations are treating the area as a potential crime scene. When asked about the origin of the fire, Barry commented to WISN, "I have no idea, no idea. That's all speculation at this point." The Walworth County Sheriff's Office has not mentioned evidence of a crime or specified a cause, leaving the small community in waiting for answers as they mourn the loss of their neighbors.
