Batavia man killed in house explosion

  • Dennis Chidester of Batavia and an unidentified adult, believed to be his wife, were killed Sunday when their vacation home in Armenia, Wis., exploded, according to police. A young child was injured, according to police.

    Dennis Chidester of Batavia and an unidentified adult, believed to be his wife, were killed Sunday when their vacation home in Armenia, Wis., exploded, according to police. A young child was injured, according to police. Peter Rebhahn/Capital Newspapers

 
Susan Sarkauskas
 
 
Updated 8/3/2011 7:38 PM

A Batavia man was killed Sunday in a house explosion in central Wisconsin.

Dennis J. Chidester, 65, was pronounced dead at a hospital in Madison, according to police. The explosion happened in Armenia, a town north of the Wisconsin Dells, near Necedah.

 

Another adult died at the scene from the explosion, police said. The Juneau County Sheriff's Department has not released that person's name, but other media reports indicate it is Carolyn Chidester, Dennis' wife.

A child was also injured in the explosion, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. and flattened the house.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating, as is the Armenia Fire Department, the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Wisconsin state fire marshal.

A preliminary report indicates "a vapor" in the house exploded. The source and type of the vapor is not known.