Weasel’s club destroyed in fire

Weasel’s Exotic Entertainment club destroyed in fire

Sadly, things seem to have gone from bad to worse for Don “Weasel” DalPonte, owner of Weasel’s Exotic Entertainment club in Eagle River, Wisconsin.  In February 2011, DalPonte was the victim of a home invasion, during which he was shot and beaten by two men wearing ski masks.  Though he originally appeared to have recovered quickly from these injuries, DalPonte was admitted to the hospital in December 2011, complaining of headaches and memory loss, among other issues.
In what can only be described as a tragic case of bad luck, while DalPonte was in the hospital this past New Year’s Eve, 2011, his adult nightclub, Weasel’s, burned to the ground. The fire broke out just after 7 p.m. on December 31, and thankfully, the club was closed at the time of the fire.
According to WJFW.com in Wisconsin, investigators spent their time looking for clues inside the charred remains of the club. “It appears the fire may have originated near the stage area in the east part of the building,” said Three Lakes Fire Chief Herb Stuckart.
The walls were left standing, but the roof had caved in and everything inside appeared reduced to a char. Short of calling it a total loss, Stuckart said the fire was intense and spread to all areas of the structure.
“We had 31 firefighters out here, and four personnel from the Vilas County RIT (Rapid Intervention Team),” he said, noting that although no cause had been determined, the fire appeared to have begun accidentally. “Five surrounding departments assisted in the effort, and we used about 10,000 gallons getting the fire under control.”
At press time, DalPonte—a 2009 EXOTIC DANCER Hall of Fame inductee—remains hospitalized following complications of the February ’11 home invasion.