UPDATE: Fire in Onalaska destroys apartment building

Crews battled fire for over 8 hours.

ONALASKA, Wis. — A candle is being blamed for a weekend fire that destroyed an eight-unit apartment complex about a block from Onalaska Luther High School.

Nobody was hurt in Saturday’s fire, which was reported around noon and took a few hours to bring under control. Rescuers had to give oxygen to some pets rescued from the apartments.

The building has become a large pile of rubble. Mattresses and other personal belongings could be seen Sunday in what remained of the complex that caught fire in the 600 block of 13th Avenue South.

ORIGINAL STORY

ONALASKA, Wis. — Fire crews couldn’t save an eight-unit apartment building that went up in smoke Saturday afternoon.

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The Onalaska Fire Dept. was called in around noon to the 600 block of 13th Ave. S., and continued to fight throughout the afternoon and into the early evening. It wasn’t out until after 8 p.m.

Crews had a difficult time containing it, as it was ablaze between a new and old roof to the building.