A fire consumed a Portage home Wednesday and closed Highway 16 as crews from multiple communities worked to extinguish the flames.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation alerted the public to the fire in a traffic notification sent Wednesday morning.
The initial call for the fire came in at 9:39 a.m., Columbia County dispatchers said. Portage firefighters said the blaze was originally reported as a porch fire that then spread to the remainder of the home. Wind contributed to the spread.
The people inside the home got themselves out, firefighters said.
Crews have closed east and westbound Highway 16 at West Carroll Street. DOT estimated the road would remain closed for two hours.
Firefighters said they battled the blaze for just over an hour.
A picture from a local photographer showed the home completely engulfed in flames. Dispatchers asked that the public avoid the area.
An investigation into the cause of the fire will begin once firefighting operations conclude.
To read more go to WKOW: https://wkow.com/2020/08/12/portage-house-engulfed-in-flames-public-asked-to-avoid-area/
Photo: WKOW
Photo: WKOW