Fire Department

Madison fire investigators have determined the cause of yesterday's fire at Bagels Forever. Investigators say building materials/combustibles too near a heat source started the fire.

Madison firefighters were called to the 2900 block of University Ave. at 2:42 p.m. for a report of smoke and flames inside the building.  The fire was discovered by employees who detected a burning odor, followed by the observation of light smoke at the ceiling level. A caller to the 911 Communications Center said the fire was in the baking area.
 
Fire was located in a void space adjacent to a ventilation exhaust hood for a baking oven. Fire was contained to the area of origin. There was fire damage to the roof structure and structural elements adjacent to the hood.

Crews attacked the fire inside and from the roof near a large roof vent. Firefighters worked for over an hour to ensure that no fire remained in the ceiling or the roof.
 
There were no injuries to occupants of the building, but Medic 2 transported a patient from a 2-car crash across the street from the incident.
 
Madison police were called to the scene to help manage traffic, and one lane of inbound University Ave. was closed while firefighters completed their operations.
 
The Health Department was called to assess damage and determine when and if operations may resume at the bakery. The exact cause remains under investigation by Madison fire investigators. The initial damage estimate is $25,000 to the building. Those damages do not take into account damage to equipment, lost production time, or lost inventory.