NEW GLARUS — An electrical fire that originated in a bedroom corner Wednesday afternoon has displaced a family for at least a few days, according to New Glarus Fire Chief Dave Anderson.

Firefighters were paged to the house fire at 501 5th Street at about 3:30 p.m.

“When they first arrived, they had smoke coming out of the windows,” Anderson said. 

He estimates the house, located at the corner of 5th Street and 5th Avenue, is 80 to 100 years old. It has two apartments, with the fire occurring in the larger, front apartment.

The fire started around an electrical outlet in a bedroom corner, possibly from an overheated fan cord, Anderson said.

The cause of the fire is “not suspicious at all,” he added. It melted the outlet and left extensive damage in the bedroom and smoke damage throughout the apartment.

Anderson estimates $15,000 to $20,000 in damages.

He said power was cut off for the entire building as a precaution and the family’s insurance arranged for them to stay at a nearby motel. He expects they’ll be out of their apartment for at least a few days, up to a week.