Fire Department

Two separate east side balcony fires occurred over the weekend because of improperly discarded smoking materials.

The first occurred Saturday night on the 1600 block of Fordem Avenue. Residents pointed Engine Company 3 and Medic 3 to an apartment where an occupant had already put out the fire with an extinguisher. The occupant told firefighters he’d been smoking out on the balcony earlier, and he believes ash from his cigarette may have landed in some empty boxes on the porch. He found the fire when he headed to the balcony for another cigarette later on. The fire consumed a few cardboard boxes and melted the plastic table they were resting on.

At 1:25 p.m. Sunday afternoon, firefighters from Fire Station 8 were sent to the 2200 block of Independence Lane. That’s where they found smoke and flames on the balcony of an apartment complex. Engine 8 pulled its front bumper line and quickly extinguished the fire. Ladder Company 8 assisted with overhaul as Medic 8 went inside to contact the residents. The occupant said he was unaware there was a fire on his balcony until he saw the water from Engine 8’s hose spraying onto his patio door. Asked what might have caused the fire, he said neighbors in upstairs units have been known to drop cigarette butts onto his balcony. Firefighters made contact with those neighbors, and they did admit to smoking approximately 20 minutes prior to the fire department’s arrival, and that it was most likely their smoking materials that started the fire.

The Madison Fire Department has seen at least one smoking-related fire per month in 2018. These fires have caused nearly a million dollars in damage and resulted in the displacement of numerous people and pets.

When disposing of cigarettes and other smoking materials, always use a metal container filled with sand or water. Do not use flower pots, water bottles, or other plastic materials.