UPDATED: Wednesday --- April 2, 2008 -- 12:45pm

A pizza chain is showing support for the family of one of its employees who died in a Monroe house fire last month.

Pizza Hut of Southern Wisconsin will hold a buffet benefit for the family of Jeff Sullivan.

Sullivan worked for Pizza Hut in Monroe for almost 20 years.

He died trying to rescue his daughter from the basement of their home after a fire broke out on March 23rd.

The 16 year-old is at UW Hospital with burns over half her body.

Sullivan's wife and other two children escaped the home without any injuries.

The benefit is Tuesday, April 8th from 4:00 to 9:00pm at Pizza Hut in Monroe.

Money from the benefit will be donated to a memorial fund set up in Sullivan's name.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE: Sunday, March 23, 2008 -- 7:30 pm

Fire crews and the state fire marshal are trying to figure out what started a Monroe family's home on fire just after midnight. It destroyed the home and left a family without a father.

Monroe Firefighters were called to 2415 16th Street for a house fire. When fire crews arrived they say thick smoke and heavy flames were pouring out of the backside of the home. Lane Heins is the Deputy Fire Chief in Monroe. He was one of the first firefighters to arrive. "When I came around the house I heard people screaming and I was informed by the Monroe Police Department that there was a possible subject unaccounted for and still possibly in the house," explained Heins.

A mother and three children got out of the home, but their husband and father couldn't be found. "There was reports that he had gone down to rescue one of the individuals in the basement," said Heins.

Firefighters says a thermal imaging camera helped them get through think smoke and heavy fire to find 37-year-old Jeff Sullivan. "From the time they entered the building until the time they found him it was probably less than two minutes. The patient was unconscious, but still breathing," said Heins.

Sullivan was rushed to a local hospital but died from fire related injuries. "I was scared when I found out. As soon as I found out I got dressed to go to the hospital," said Jeramiah Fuchs.

Fuchs worked with Mr. Sullivan and dated the Sullivan's daughter. "He was a nice guy. I'm pretty sure everybody knew him," said Fuchs.

Sullivan was a manager at the local McDonald's, a family man, and was well known. "He helped out when you needed help and he was just fun to work with and even a fun guy to hang out with," said Fuchs.

Family friends do say the Sullivan's 16-year-old daughter is being treated for severe burns. Firefighters say there was a smoke detector in the home, but it was not working.

Firefighters say the last fatal fire, they can remember, in Monroe happened in the mid 1980s. They say this fire serves as a reminder to check smoke detectors and also ensure you have multiple ways to get out of your home. In this case, firefighters say the basement was being used for living quarters, but was in the process of being brought up to code.

The state fire marshal and Monroe firefighters are still investigating.
________________________________________________________________

UPDATE: Sunday, March 22, 2008 -- 5:20pm

Authorities say a 37-year-old man is dead in a house fire Sunday morning in Monroe.

Police Chief Fred Kelley says the fire was reported about 12:30 a.m. He says police tried to get into the home to reach the man, after the rest of his family made it out safe. But he says they couldn't because of heavy smoke and flames.

Firefighters arrived a few minutes later and found the man, Jeffrey R. Sullivan, in a basement room. He was taken to an area hospital where he died from fire-related injuries.

The home's four other occupants made it out safe. A 16-year-old girl sustained fire-related injuries.

Authorities say the cause of the fire is still unclear.

NBC 15 was in Monroe Sunday -- hear from fire officials and a family friend tonight at 10pm.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

__________________________________________________________________

Posted Sunday, March 23 --- 10:40am

Investigators are not releasing much information at this time. They will only say the Monroe Fire Department responded to a house fire at 25th Avenue and 16th Street at approximately 12:30am Sunday morning.

One person is confirmed dead in the fire. The identity of the victim has not be released.

The Monroe Police Department will release more information later today.