Late Tuesday evening, tragedy struck Sun Prairie when a gas leak caused a mass explosion. Emergency services moved swiftly to try and combat the flames engulfing large areas of the downtown area, but firefighter Captain Cory Barr was killed. More than a dozen others were injured.
As the flames diminished, the tough part of trying to rebuild and heal began. The city of Sun Prairie hosted a procession for Barr, and many community members came out to pay their respects. Barr was the captain of the Sun Prairie Volunteer Fire Department and owner of the Barr House Tavern on Main Street, which was damaged in the explosion.