Bio: Englebretson, Jim  (House Fire - 1959) 

Contact: Betty Comstock

Email:  Comstock@Stateline-ISP.com    

 Surnames: ENGLEBRETSON, PLANK

  Loyal Tribune (Loyal, Clark Co., Wis.) 02/26/1959

  Englebretson, Jim, House Fire 1959

Fire on Tuesday morning completely destroyed the farm home of Jim Englebretson located four miles northwest of Loyal.  The local Fire Department was summoned to the scene but arrived too late to save the structure.

The home, which is located in the corner of the town of Loyal, was completely ablaze when first discovered by one of the youngsters.  At work in the barn with her father, she had gone to the house to get something but was unable to enter due to the smoke.

She aroused her father who got into the truck and drove into Greenwood to summon help.  The Greenwood firemen were alerted but didn’t leave the city because the fire being outside their area.  The telephone operator then summoned the Loyal Volunteer Fire Department.

By the time they arrived at the scene there was no hope of saving the house.  Smoke was billowing out under the eaves all around and the fire, which apparently started in the basement, had spread throughout.

The blaze consumed the entire structure and all the household furnishings with the exception of one broken kitchen chair which stood near the door.  The house was said to be covered by insurance but the household goods were not.  It was also said that the family may use the former Plank home nearby until other arrangements can be made.