Authorities, churches identify 6 family members killed in Wisconsin house fire

MAUSTON, Wisconsin — The six family members who died at a house fire in Wisconsin were a former pastor, two of his daughters and three of his granddaughters, authorities and church officials said.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday that Steven Witte, 66, Charis Kuehl, 38, and Lydia Witte, 35, died in the Necedah fire early Sunday morning. Three children — ages 2, 5, and 8 — also died in the fire. The sheriff’s office has not released their names.

Sheriff Andrew Zobal did not immediately respond to a voicemail left at his office by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Officials at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Green Bay and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod President Mark Schroeder said in a joint statement that Steve Witte served as a missionary in Thailand and as a pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church from 2001 to 2009. Lydia Witte and Charis Kuehl were his daughters, and the three children were his granddaughters.

The Reverend Larry Schlomer, WELS World Missions Administrator, told WMTV-TV that the family was holding a gathering in the house when the fire broke out.

“It was such a huge loss, having so many deaths within the same family,” Schlomer said.

The state fire marshal is assisting with the investigation into the fire, but the sheriff’s office said in a news release Tuesday that the fire was believed to be accidental.