Hartford apartment fire displaces 12 residents

An apartment building fire on Evergreen Drive in Hartford, Wisconsin, displaced 12 people and 10 pets early on October 17, 2026. The fire, which originated in a first-floor bedroom, spread rapidly up the exterior of the building into the second floor, soffit, and attic.

During the incident, three residents trapped on a second-floor balcony jumped from the smoke-filled building and were caught by responding police officers. While one person sustained minor injuries and refused hospital treatment, two police officers were evaluated at a hospital for smoke-related injuries and subsequently released. No other injuries were reported.

Hartford Fire & Rescue and the Hartford Police Department were assisted by multiple mutual aid agencies, including the Washington County Sheriff's Office and several surrounding fire departments. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.