Fire Department

A Madison man who had just left his auto insurance office to make his regular payment found himself needing to file a claim on his way home.

The man was passing through downtown Madison when he started to notice smoke coming from the back of his 1994 Buick LeSabre. He immediately pulled into a parking spot along N. Pinckney Street. He opened the trunk, where a large audio speaker was stored, and found smoked and flames where the trunk meets the back seats. He removed the speaker from the trunk and attempted to toss a cup of water into the trunk, but that wasn’t enough to put a stop to the rapidly growing fire. The driver closed the trunk, grabbed his two children, and the three of them waited at a safe distance until firefighters arrived.

The Buick was fully involved as Engine Company 1 rolled up to the scene. Firefighters attacked the fire with their bumper line, opening the hood and trunk to ensure all fire was found and extinguished. Another vehicle parked in front of the Buick was at risk of catching fire, but Engine 1’s swift actions prevented that from occurring.

The fire did cause extensive damage to the Buick LeSabre, and the vehicle and its contents are considered a total loss.