La Crosse Firefighters Respond to Weekend House Fire

Published on May 18, 2026

Just after 11:50 a.m. Saturday (May 16), the La Crosse Fire Department was dispatched to the 1000 block of 5th Avenue for a reported residential structure fire.

First-arriving crews were on scene in just over two minutes and encountered smoke showing from the residence, with fire located in the basement area. All occupants had safely exited the home prior to firefighters’ arrival, and no injuries were reported.

Crews worked quickly to contain the fire, bringing it under control in just over 10 minutes before beginning cleanup and checking for remaining hot spots.

The home was equipped with working smoke alarms, which played an important role in early detection, allowing residents to evacuate safely and firefighters to respond quickly.

Basement fires can present unique challenges for firefighters due to limited visibility, access concerns, and rapidly changing conditions. Fire investigators responded to the scene and determined the cause of the fire to be electrical in nature.

The La Crosse Fire Department would like to remind community members to use caution with electrical devices and avoid overloading outlets or power strips.

The residence sustained moderate damage as a result of the fire.

We’d like to thank the assisting agencies on scene: the La Crosse Police Department, Tri-State Ambulance, and Xcel Energy.