DUBUQUE, Iowa — November 10, 2026 — Investigators have determined the cause of the fire that displaced residents of 20 units at a downtown Dubuque apartment building on Saturday, November 7, 2026: a lit candle that melted down and sparked the blaze after the resident of the apartment had fallen asleep.

The Dubuque Fire Department’s finding, reported by Radio Dubuque on Monday, November 9, 2026, closes the investigation into a fire that sent two residents and a firefighter to the hospital and left a 30-unit building on West 17th Street with an estimated $580,000 in damage.

Firefighters were called to 280 West 17th Street at about 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026. When crews arrived, they found fire and heavy smoke coming from a first-floor apartment. Firefighters removed two people using ladders and helped numerous others out of the building. Two residents were taken to the hospital for treatment, and a Dubuque firefighter suffered minor injuries. Crews also rescued several dogs and cats from the building.

Residents of 20 units across two sections of the apartment complex were displaced. The American Red Cross is providing sheltering assistance, while other displaced residents are staying with family or friends.

The cause had been undetermined when the fire was first reported. The fire department’s investigation concluded that the candle had melted down and ignited the fire while the resident slept. No further details about the resident of the apartment were released, and no charges or citations were reported in connection with the fire.

The building, a three-story, 30-unit residential complex, was valued at $4,451,000, with $3,871,000 in property saved, according to the fire department’s earlier report on the fire.