Dubuque, Iowa — Firefighters from the Dubuque Fire Department responded swiftly to a structure fire Wednesday evening at 1148 West 5th Street, extinguishing the flames in a second-floor apartment within minutes and limiting damage to the unit of origin in a three-story, six-unit residential building.

At approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 15, 2026, fire crews arrived on scene within three minutes of the initial dispatch to find visible smoke emanating from the building as residents were actively evacuating. Firefighters immediately advanced into the structure, located the fire in a second-floor apartment, and brought it under control just four minutes after arrival. The incident was classified as a room-and-contents fire that did not spread beyond the apartment of origin.

No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported, a positive outcome officials attributed to the rapid response and effective evacuation efforts by building occupants. The building has been temporarily deemed uninhabitable pending further safety assessments, and the American Red Cross is on site assisting displaced residents with immediate needs such as temporary shelter, food, and personal essentials.

Estimated property damage from the fire stands at approximately $147,000. The cause of the blaze remains under active investigation by the Dubuque Fire Department. Officials have not released details about potential factors, such as electrical issues, unattended cooking, or other common apartment fire triggers, pending completion of the inquiry.

The response involved approximately 20 firefighters operating out of four Dubuque fire stations. Mutual aid and support came from the Dubuque Police Department for scene security and traffic control, Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy for utility management, and the American Red Cross for humanitarian assistance.