Sun Prairie, Star 07/13/2018
SPORTS
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Sun Prairie Star
Fridayjuly 13,2018
#SunPrairieStrong after
explosion kills one, injures 11
SPPD focus
on blast
investigation
By Jennifer Fetterly
jfetterly@hngnews.com
Tuesday’s natural gas
explosion in downtown Sun
Prairie that killed firefighter
Capt. Cory Barr and injured
11 others, could have been
more deadly, authorities
say, if firefighters hadn’t
evacuated the area.
The blast happened
around 7 p.m. July 10 along
a stretch of Main Street that
includes bars, restaurants,
shops and apartments. A
fireball erupted with a loud
boom, quickly destroying
the Barr House tavern, 130
W. Main St. where just half
an hour before, patrons
were having a drink and
getting ready for bingo
night.
Fire and smoke shot
up into the sky Tuesday
night as police continued
to widen the evacuation
area. Flames spread to
other buildings that also
sustained direct blast
damage. Glass Nickel
Pizza, the former Water
Tower Chophouse, the
Professional Building and a
home were either destroyed
or experienced significant
damage.
Sun Prairie Police
received a call at 6:21 p.m.
that a contractor had
ruptured a WE Energies
natural gas line in the
downtown area.
Firefighters and police
started to evacuate a 300-
foot “hot zone” area that
included the Barr House,
nearby restaurants and
residences.
Sun Prairie Fire Chief
Chris Garrison estimated
that 115 people were
evacuated prior to the blast.
Firefighters were on-scene
immediately with the area
cordoned off, just steps
away from Sun Prairie Fire
See BLAST, Page A10
Sun Prairie Fire Department personnel blocked Bristol Street just north of Sun Prairie Fire Station #1 to fight a fire that resulted from
a July 10 explosion that leveled one building downtown, damaged several others and claimed the life of Capt. Cory Barr.
Glass Nickel owner talks rebuild after July 10 explosion
By Jennifer Fetterly
jf ette rly@hngnews.com
Less than 48 hours after a
July 10 natural gas explosion
leveled his restaurant a Sun
Prairie business owner is
Copy Reduced to 48% from original to fit letter page
BUSINESS
Sun Prairie-based Continental Mapping
Consultants lands two, 10-year
contracts with the National Geospatial
Intelligence Agency • A2
WEEKEND EDITION
DOWNTOWN SUN PRAIRIE
motived to rebuild and help more than 14 years.
his employees. By the next morning, Bougie
Adam Bougie stood on the was already meeting with
sidewalk Tuesday night as he his insurance agent, bank
saw the flames consume Glass officials, contacting vendors
Nickel Pizza, the 101W. Main and trying to stay busy.
St. business he’s operated for Bougie’s main focus has been
141 Years - No. 76 — I
Chris Mertes
his 25-30 employees and the
tenants of the apartments
above the restaurant.
He said his insurance
will provide wages for the
restaurant’s full-time staff for
a year and reimburse part­
October 30, 2018 3:01 pm /
94922 6 0 3 2 8
Community
mourns SP
firefighter
Cory Barr,
pledge
support for
his family
By Jennifer Fetterly
jfetterly@hngnews.com
Hundreds lined the Sun
Prairie city streets to show
respect for the 15-year veteran
Sun Prairie firefighter who
died in the July 10 natural gas
explosion that leveled parts of
the downtown area.
Capt. Cory Barr, age 34,
was killed in the blast that
demolished Barr House, 100.
W. Main St. and several other
downtown businesses and a
home.
His body was escorted
Wednesday night by a
procession of area firefighters
from the Dane County Medical
Examiner’s office to the
Tuschen-Newcomer Funeral
Home on Columbus Street
Firefighter Barr was caught
in the explosion around 7 p.m.
while he was assisting in
establishing a safe perimeter
after a contractor ruptured a
natural gas line in downtown
Sun Prairie.
Sun Prairie Fire Chief
See BARR, Page A11
time employees for a couple of
months.
There were six people who
lived above the restaurant who
Bougie said were uninsured
See REBUILD, Page A12