Village Glen Explosion 10am UPDATE: Evacuation Lifted For Some Apartments

(Beaver Dam) Residents have been allowed to return to more of the apartment buildings in Beaver Dam where a suspicious and deadly explosion occurred. One death is being investigated following the blast that happened around 1pm Monday at the Village Glen Apartments, 109 Knaup Drive #11, in the cluster of yellow apartments east of Mill’s Fleet Farm. There were no other injuries reported. Residents were evacuated Monday evening from multiple 16-unit apartment complexes adjacent to where the original explosion occurred. There are still seven or eight buildings still evacuated including the building where the explosion occurred. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations responded along with the Dane County Bomb Squad. Beaver Dam Police Chief John Kreuziger says there is a chemical of unknown origin inside the unit. The victim was found near the point of the explosion. Kreuziger says the situation is (quote) “more serious than originally thought.” On Tuesday morning, he ruled out the possibility that it was a meth lab and identified the substance as an explosive material. The cause remains under investigation.

Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Press Release from Tuesday 10am:

After further investigation, it has been deemed safe for occupants of the following apartment complexes to return to their apartments:
115, 117, 119, 123, 125, 127 and 129 Knaup Drive
222, 224, 226 and 228 East Industrial Drive
The Beaver Dam Police Department and Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is maintaining the evacuation order in place for all other residences that have already been evacuated. If you are not listed in the above address, please do not try to return to your home as you will not be allowed entry.
No further information will be released on this incident until 10:30am at a press conference held at the Beaver Dam Police Department.

 

From the Beaver Dam Police Department Facebook page:

After further investigation, it has been deemed safe for occupants of the following apartment complexes to return to their apartments:

115, 117, 119, 123, 125, 127 and 129 Knaup Drive
222, 224, 226 and 228 East Industrial Drive

The Beaver Dam Police Department and Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is maintaining the evacuation order in place for all other residences that have already been evacuated.

If you are not listed in the above address, please do not try to return to your home as you will not be allowed entry.

 

Dodge County Sheriff’s Office press release:

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is assisting the Beaver Dam Police Department with an incident that occurred at 109 Knaup Drive within the City of Beaver Dam. This address is within an apartment complex on the north side of Beaver Dam. At about 12:56 pm Dodge County Central Communications received a 911 call of an explosion that took place at the above listed address. It is confirmed that one person has died as a result of the incident. The incident itself is still under investigation at this time and no further information on the incident itself will be available until Tuesday, March 6, 2018.
The investigation has led law enforcement to believe that there still may be materials present that are requiring the evacuation of several apartment buildings in the vicinity of the original incident. As a result, for the safety of residents in the area, we are ordering the evacuation of apartment buildings in the immediate vicinity. Those addresses include:

103, 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, and 123 Knaup Drive
212, 222, and 224 E Industrial Drive
Those who live in those residences can report to the Watermark at 209 S Center Street until permanent shelter arrangements can be made.
We are asking everyone to please avoid the area until further notice.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/WBEVRadio/videos/1847775821922374/