By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
A Waterford house fire that caused extensive damage and claimed the life of an 88-year-old man remains under investigation as authorities within the Racine County Sheriff’s Department and Waterford Fire and Rescue Department assess the property.
Smoking materials are believed to have caused the fire at the home, where longtime resident Lawrence C. Gough was found dead at the scene. The home is situated along an off-the-beaten-path part of the Village of Waterford, in the 400 block of Fox Isle Park Drive.
The first call of the fire came in at 6:07 a.m. last Thursday, May 21, as neighbors reported hearing panicked screaming sounds.
The fire is believed to have started on the second story of the home, where damage is most significant and Gough was found dead. Three women, inside the home when the fire erupted, managed to escape. Two were sent to St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee for observation.
Racine County Sheriff’s Sgt. Bill Mattke, who was among the professionals who investigated the property immediately after the fire, said Gough’s health might have played a role in his inability to escape the fire.
“He did have some mobility issues,” Mattke said. “I guess he could walk, but had difficulty walking.”
Because of the extent of the fire and damage, Waterford fire and EMS responders tapped into their mutual aid agreement with surrounding municipalities. Throughout the day of the fire, crews from the Burlington Fire Department, Tichigan Fire Company and Rochester Fire Company were on hand to assist.
The Racine County Fire Investigation Task Force was called in to investigate the cause of the fire. Other than attributing to the vague category of “smoking materials,” county officials have not elaborated any further on what evidence led to such a conclusion.
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