Fire Department

The Madison Fire Department's Fire Investigation Team has concluded that this fire was accidental in nature and the result of improperly discarded smoking materials.

--PIO Cynthia Schuster

Seven people are displaced from a three-unit residential building following a fire that caused approximately $200,000 in damage.

Bystanders called 911 around 5:40 p.m. reporting flames and smoke on the porch of a building on the 100 block of N. Franklin Street. The front porch and front room on the first floor were fully involved, with flames reaching the exterior of the second floor, as firefighters arrived on scene at 5:45 p.m.

As Engine Co. 1 began fire attack with the help of Engine Co. 3 and Medic 3, Ladder Co. 1 and Ladder Co. 8 began search and rescue. No occupants were home at the time of the fire, but search and rescue teams did locate and rescue a dog from one of the units. The dog was not harmed. A neighbor provided a warm place for the dog to stay until its owner arrived.

Firefighters achieved initial knockdown within ten minutes of arriving on scene. The first floor of the building suffered extensive fire damage. Smoke damage extended to one of the second-floor units. A third unit suffered no significant damage but was still uninhabitable due to the extensive damage to the rest of the building.

The American Red Cross responded to provide assistance to those who were displaced. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.