Storm Lake fire spreads from one car to three, no injuries reported

Firefighters in Storm Lake were called to 601 Hudson St. around 1:50 a.m. Friday after a report that one car was on fire and two others nearby were in danger. By the time crews reached Storm Lake’s east side address, all three vehicles were actively burning.

The Storm Lake Fire Department moved straight into suppression and worked to keep the fire from spreading farther through the parking area or to nearby property. Police from the Storm Lake Police Department assisted at the scene. No injuries were reported, but all three vehicles sustained significant damage.

The call showed how fast an overnight vehicle fire can turn into a neighborhood problem. What began as a single-car fire had already become a three-vehicle incident before firefighters arrived, a reminder that tight parking and a delay in spotting smoke or flames can give a fire just enough time to leap from one vehicle to the next. In a residential area like Hudson Street, that kind of chain reaction can quickly threaten garages, parked cars and nearby homes.

The cause remains under investigation. Officials did not identify the vehicle owners and did not indicate that arson was suspected.

The address itself sits in a residential block of Storm Lake. Public listings describe 601 Hudson St. as a single-family home built in 1900, with five bedrooms and garage parking. Zillow lists the house at 1,374 square feet on an 8,400-square-foot lot, while Redfin lists it at 1,624 square feet and 1.5 bathrooms.

The incident came amid the department’s broader public-safety workload. Founded in 1881, the Storm Lake Fire Department protects 93 square miles, including Storm Lake, Truesdale, Lakeside and surrounding rural townships, with two full-time members and 27 volunteer firefighters. Its 2024 annual report recorded 265 response incidents, including 8 vehicle fires, along with nearly 1,800 hours of firefighter training.

For Storm Lake residents, the takeaway from the Hudson Street fire is straightforward: give parked vehicles space when possible and report smoke or flames immediately. A few extra minutes can be the difference between a damaged car and a multi-vehicle fire.