TOWNSEND – The 21-year-old man who died in a Monday morning fire on Weasel Creek Road in Winston has been identified as Tyler Wensel.
A GoFundMe set up to help pay for funeral expenses states the following:
Early Monday morning, the Wensel family suffered a tragic loss with the passing of their son Tyler Wensel in a house fire. Tyler was a kind hearted, dedicated, and loving individual. To everyone, he was referred to as the Gentle Giant. He is now standing by the side of his loving Heavenly Father, as an angel, watching over his amazing parents, Susan and Sheldon, his siblings, Jacob and Trinity, and his beautiful niece, Scarlett. The funds will be used towards Tyler’s funeral and to help the Wensel family rebuild and replace everything they lost. Susan is a seamstress and lost all of her equipment and supplies. It is hoped that we can replace these items so she can return to work. Any donation, no matter how small, is much appreciated! Even more importantly, we ask that you keep the Wensel family in your thoughts and prayers at this time.
According to Broadwater County Sheriff Wynn Meehan, the fire broke out in a garage with an attached apartment just before 1 a.m. Monday.
Meehan said a woman was in the garage and went back to the main house.
She later noticed smoke coming from the building and alerted her husband, who raced to get a ladder up to a second-floor window to try and rescue Wensel who was living in the apartment.
Fire departments from Winston, Toston, Townsend, and Duck Creek responded.
