Fredrick Zilke dies in fatal Town of Fulton house fire

Fredrick Zilke dies in fatal Town of Fulton house fire

Fatal Town of Fulton house fire death of Fredrick Zilke

The Rock County Medical Examiner identified the deceased man Thursday, following his death in a house fire in the Town of Fulton late Saturday night. The victim was Fredrick Zilke, a 74-year-old local resident.

Fire began at approximately 10:02 p.m. on Zilke’s home located on the 8300 block of N. Newville Road, according to authorities. A passerby noticed flames on the exterior of the house, which quickly spread to the roof. The Lakeside Fire-Rescue and Rock County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene.

When officers attempted contact via the 911 call center, there was no answer, leading responders to believe Zilke was inside. He was found unresponsive in his second-floor bedroom. Medical personnel evacuated him outside where they pronounced him dead the following day. A post-mortem examination confirmed his death resulted from injuries suffered in the fire. Further tests were still being conducted by Thursday.

Investigators stated there were no smoke alarms installed in the dwelling and the residence lacked automatic fire sprinklers. The fire department characterized the blaze as unintentional and a regrettable accident in their Sunday statement.

Both the Rock County Sheriff’s Office and the medical examiner’s office are continuing their investigation into the incident.