GALESVILLE, Wis. – Fire destroyed an auto service shop before dawn on Highway 53 north of downtown Galesville. One firefighter suffered a minor injury. The shop cat died in the fire. Owner Jeff Paulus estimated the loss at $1.5 million. The fire was fueled by an inventory of tires. A tow truck and several vehicles parked inside were destroyed. Flames turned the sky an eery pink. Fire Chief Lucas Teska said that the call came in at 4:12. When he arrived, he called for help from the Ettrick and Trempealeau fire departments. Firefighters from Arcadia, Blair, Whitehall, Holmen, Dodge, Melrose and Fountain City later arrived. Not until 10:33 a.m. was the scene cleared. Cold and icy conditions hampered firefighters. Through it all retired Galesville Fire Chief Tom Peterson as well as community members delivered food and drinks to firefighters. The cause of the fire was not identified immediately.
Cold, cold aftermath. The building across the street from the G-E-T junior high school, had been a fixture in town 25 years. The business was started in 1976.