DAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Two people from central Wisconsin were found dead and believed to have been electrocuted when doing an art form that is popular on TikTok.
According to the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, two people were found dead on April 6 after an investigation of a structure fire. The victims were 44-year-old Tanya Rodriguez and 52-year-old James Carolfi, both of whom are from the Town of Day.
An investigation revealed that both of the victims were dead before the fire and foul play was ruled out. The deaths were reportedly deemed ‘accidental’ and officials believe the deaths were caused by electrocution from fractal wood burning.
The investigation also showed that the fire started in the garage before spreading to the home. Officials say that the fractal wood burning equipment that caused the electrocutions likely started the fire.
Officials described fractal wood burning as an art form that has risen to fame on social media sites like TikTok. The fractal burning process normally uses a high-voltage transformer to flow current across wood items that have been soaked with a chemical solution.
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office is warning of the dangers of fractal wood burning and says it should only be done by trained professionals.
The Town of Day is just over two hours west of Green Bay.
No additional information was provided, Local 5 will update this story as more details are released.
