Fatal Wisconsin blast video released as firefighter’s widow files wrongful death suit
Abby Barr didn’t just lose her husband, a volunteer firefighter, in the deadly July gas explosion that rocked Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
The mother of young twin girls also lost The Barr House, a tavern she and 34-year-old Cory Barr owned together, WISC-TV reported. A 15-year veteran of the volunteer force, Cory Barr rushed to the scene after a construction-related gas leak was reported July 10 near their tavern — but then something ignited an explosion, killing him and leveling the couple’s small business.
“He was especially wanting to make sure he was on that call because it was affecting something else we loved so much,” Abby Barr said, according to WISC-TV. “It’s what he loved to do. He loved helping people.”
Sun Prairie Police Chief Patrick Anhalt announced Thursday that investigators have finished looking into the circumstance of the explosion, and will not press criminal charges because “there is not probable cause to believe a crime was committed.” Police also released dramatic squad car video that captured the July blast.
Police previously had been looking for evidence to back up a possible charge of reckless homicide in Cory Barr’s death, the Associated Press reported.
But now the firefighter’s family is trying to hold the subcontractors involved accountable another way: Court records indicate Abby Barr filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Thursday related to the explosion, and two firefighters hurt in the explosion have filed personal injury claims as well, WMTV reports.
The Barr lawsuit seeks to hold Bear Communications, USIC Locating Services, VC Tech and WEC Energy Group responsible for the firefighter’s death, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. Barr’s death was the only fatality in the incident.
Reports on the blast released Thursday revealed that subcontractors installing Verizon Wireless fiber optic network cables hit a natural gas line that wasn’t completely marked around 6:30 p.m. that day. The blast came about 40 minutes after the line was cut, as firefighters were evacuating the area and as crews tried to stanch the leaking gas.
The blast — and the fire that followed — destroyed businesses, cars and homes, the report said.
Anhalt said hitting the line was the result of a miscommunication among the subcontractors as one handed the project off to another, and failed to appropriately mark where a gas line was.
“Prior to the explosion, conversations occurred between representatives of each of these companies, both on and off site, during which incomplete and inaccurate information was exchanged and relied upon,” Anhalt said.
Anhalt said the report should inspire change to prevent such explosions from happening again.
“Moving forward, it is our sincere hope that this tragedy will result in a serious evaluation of regulatory language pertaining to the responsibilities of those engaged in utility work,” Anhalt said. “I can think of no better way to honor the service and sacrifice of Captain Barr.”
Abby Barr said in an interview right after her husband’s death that she couldn’t imagine life without him.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have known him and have him be a part of my life and be an excellent father to my girls,” she said, according to WISC-TV.
This story was originally published December 20, 2018 at 8:09 PM.