Incident Type: 
Electrical
Dispatch: 
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 12:02am
Arrival: 
Wednesday, July 17, 2019 - 12:12am
Address: 
4500 block Catalina Parkway
Madison, WI
Narrative: 

A fire that broke out in a garage overnight was contained by an automatic fire sprinkler until firefighters arrived to bring the fire to a complete stop.

Engine Company 14 and other fire companies were dispatched to a condominium complex on Catalina Parkway just after midnight. One resident greeted firefighters and advised that an electric bike was on fire in the garage. The remainder of the building was evacuated as firefighters proceeded to the basement. They found the sprinkler system had the fire under control, and only a small amount of smoke had entered the living space within the complex. Crews extinguished the remaining fire and stopped the automatic sprinkler system.

Investigation determined the homeowner had left the e-bike on a charger for the night, the battery on the bike started on fire, which activated the sprinkler system. Fire damage was isolated to the bike, with slight damage to a workbench nearby.

The owner advised that the electric portion of the e-bike was an aftermarket kit they had purchased on eBay.

Posted 07/17/2019 - 8:18am
Contacts: 

Cynthia Schuster (Public Information Officer)