Crime & Safety
Washington County, WI Garage Explosion Leads to $700K Fire
Addison, WI – What began as an evening of outdoor cooking ended with a reported garage explosion and a devastating house fire Wednesday in Washington County, leaving approximately $700,000 in damage.
By Elliot Vaughn · 2026-10-29T11:53:18.351Z
Addison, WI – What began as an evening of outdoor cooking ended with a reported garage explosion and a devastating house fire Wednesday in Washington County, leaving approximately $700,000 in damage.
According to the Washington County Sheriff 's Office, homeowners called 911 at approximately 5:35 p.m. October 28 after reporting an explosion inside their attached garage at a residence off County Trunk Highway W in the town of Addison.
The homeowners reported seeing smoke and flames, prompting deputies and the Allenton Fire Department to respond.
By the time firefighters arrived, the garage was fully engulfed.
The fire quickly spread through the home's attic, forcing firefighters to escalate the response to a box alarm and eventually a second box alarm to bring additional crews to the scene.
Firefighters ultimately contained and extinguished the blaze, but not before the residence suffered substantial damage.
Investigators believe the cause may have been something surprisingly ordinary.
According to the sheriff's office, the homeowners had been cooking outdoors near the garage entrance earlier that evening.
Investigators determined that residual heat likely ignited nearby materials, allowing flames to spread throughout the garage and into the home.
The combined estimated damage to the structure and its contents reached approximately $700,000.
The fire required a major regional response.
Fire departments from St. Lawrence, Kohlsville, Slinger, Hartford, Kewaskum, West Bend, Theresa, Neosho, Fillmore, Newburg, Jackson, Horicon and Boltonville assisted Allenton firefighters.
Lifestar Rescue, WE Energies and the Wisconsin State Patrol also responded.
The sheriff's office did not report injuries or identify the specific outdoor cooking equipment involved.
While the homeowners reported an explosion, authorities identified residual cooking heat as the likely source of the fire.
The incident highlights the potential danger of leaving hot cooking equipment or materials near combustible items, particularly around garages and homes.