Church community mourns loss of members in fire, raises funds to help [Video]

JUNEAU CO, Wis. (WBAY) -A pastor killed in a house fire in Juneau County on Sunday ran back into the burning house to save his granddaughters. These heartbreaking details were revealed Tuesday by a longtime friend of pastor Steve Witte.

Witte died in the fire alongside 5 of his loved ones. Pastor Larry Schlomer of WELS World Missions is a longtime friend and colleague of Pastor Steve Witte. Over the years, he’s seen firsthand how Pastor Witte cared for others. He learned on Sunday that his friend did what came naturally.

“He actually made it out of the house and found out that two of his granddaughters were still inside,” said Schlomer. “He went back in seeing if he could save them and unfortunately did not make it.”

Pastor Witte, two of his daughters, and three granddaughters died in the fire. The family was spending time together at a log-cabin vacation rental home in Necedah, outside the Wisconsin Dells. Investigators believe the fire was accidental but …