Wausau Pilot & Review
UPDATED: Two people are dead and two people were airlifted to hospitals after a building exploded on Hwy. 47 in the Shawano County town of Lessor.
Police say the building involved was an auto repair shop. Initial scanner reports indicated the property was a salvage yard.
Rescue crews were called to the scene at about 12:50 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Hwy. 156 and Hwy. 47 in Shawano County. Two people died at the scene.
The extent of the injuries of the two people rescued from the building is unclear as of Friday.
The explosion caused damage to building as well as another building nearby. The cause of the explosion remain under investigation.
Multiple fire departments responded to the scene and the Wisconsin State Patrol shut down traffic on both highways for about an hour.
No names have been released. See our earlier reporting, below.
A portion of Hwy. 47 in Shawano County is blocked in both directions after an explosion at a nearby building, according to emergency scanner traffic and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
A 911 call reported the explosion at about 12:50 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31 near the intersection of Hwy. 156 and Hwy. 47. That location is east of Clintonville and south of Bonduel and was reported at a salvage yard.
Initial scanner reports indicate at least three people were injured, but the extent of their injuries has not been determined at this time. Two people were unaccounted for when crews were called.
A medical helicopter was paged to the scene. All northbound lanes on Hwy. 47 from Shady Road to Hwy. 156 were closed for about an hour. Southbound lanes on Hwy. 47 at Hwy. 156 were also closed, State Patrol officials said.
Lanes have since reopened.
The conditions of the victims has not been released.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
