Couple Charged With Running Indoor Pot Farm That Started Fire

As soon as La Crosse firefighters responded to an apartment fire last week, they discovered that the flames were coming from an apparent marijuana-growing operation.

Now, two people living in the apartment above a Main Street antique store are facing drug charges. Criminal complaints were filed yesterday against Michael Sloan and Melissa Sader, for reportedly hiding an indoor growing lab inside and under furniture. Sloan appeared in La Crosse County court the day after the apartment fire, on a charge of possessing more than 20 marijuana plants, but the formal charges were not ready yet. Sader claims she didn’t know about the marijuana operation. Faulty wiring in the growing system has been blamed for starting the fire.