Dad charged with arson in fire that killed three sons; mom in critical condition (Madison, Wisconsin)

Dad is identified as ARMIN J. WARD III.

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Three-children-die-in-Argyle-fire--168977956.html

Posted: Sun 4:33 PM, Sep 09, 2012

NEW INFORMATION: Father, uncle jailed in fire that killed 3

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The father and uncle of three children who were killed in a house fire in southwestern Wisconsin have been jailed on suspicion of arson.

The arrests were announced Sunday in a joint news release from the Village of Argyle Police Department, the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department and the State Fire Marshal at the Division of Criminal Investigation.

It says the father, Armin J. Ward III, of Argyle, is facing a tentative charge of arson of a building with intent to defraud. The uncle, 18-year-old Jeremy L. Wand, also of Argyle, faces the same felony charge.

The statement said the investigation into Friday's fire is ongoing and no further information is available at this time.

AP-WF-09-09-12 2122GMT
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ARGYLE, Wis. (AP) -- A father says his three young sons were killed in a house fire in southwestern Wisconsin.

Thirty-two-year-old Armin Wand tells WKOW-TV (http://bit.ly/RoBlCL ) his wife couldn't find the phone when the fire started at their Argyle house to call 911. He says she ran outside for help while he tried to fight the fire. When he realized it was too big, he couldn't get to the room where his three boys were inside.

He says his wife 27-year-old Sharon Wand and their 2-year-old daughter also made it out alive, but his three sons, ages 3, 5, and 7, did not.

The fire started at about 3 a.m. Friday.

An official from UW Hospital said Saturday Sharon Armin is in critical condition.

Argyle is 34 miles southwest of Madison.
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Investigators say three children were killed in an early morning fire.

The fire broke out at a home in the 400 block of Oak Street in Argyle, near the Lafayette County-Green County border around 3:00 a.m.

Investigators say the victims are members of the Wand family.

The mother was taken to the U-W Hospital in Madison where she is in critical condition. Her three sons died in the fire.

There is no word yet on what caused that fire.