Washington County fire destroys vintage car collection

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Fire destroys 11 vintage that Chuck Hiller spent decades collecting

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Wis. - More than 50 years of work went up in smoke in just one night. A Washington County man said, last week, a fire destroyed 11 vintage cars he spent decades collecting.

What they're saying:

Fire tore through a building on Chuck and Corrine Hiller's Trenton property on Jan. 23. Chuck described it as a "big wall of flame" that torched 11 cars he stored inside.

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The 80-year-old man said he's been collecting cars, like Thunderbirds and Galaxies, since the early 1970s.

"Every one of these cars, I could tell you stories," he said.

Fire at Chuck and Corrine Hiller's property in Trenton

The Hillers said they were getting ready for bed when a neighbor knocked on the door to say they could see the fire from their window.

"By the time we noticed it, there was no going out there and trying to save anything. It was all engulfed," said Corinne. "I know how much he worked and how much he loved to be out there."

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Several fire departments responded, and the Hillers said it took hours for the flames to die down. Decades of hard work and what were once classic cars reduced to charred scraps of metal.

"It's overwhelming," said Chuck.

Fire destroys 11 vintage that Chuck Hiller spent decades collecting

The Hillers said the fire marshal has not yet determined the cause of the fire. Now, they're working with insurance but said they know they can't replace everything that was lost.

"The joy I had was saving them," Chuck said. "I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to save these cars."

What's next:

Chuck said his collecting days are over, which means photos of his old collection are now precious memories. He still plans on looking for another Thunderbird in hopes of replacing his favorite car.