Fire Department

Firefighters responded to reports of a fire on a second-story balcony of an apartment complex. Engine Co. 12 was first on scene, finding smoke and fire on the balcony and noting that the fire was isolated to that part of the building. Engine 12 knocked down the flames from the outside of the building, and Ladder Co. 7 assisted with overhaul. The fire was caught before it could extend into the attic space or elsewhere in the building. The occupants were not displaced. Property damage is estimated at around $10,000.

Through witness statements and examination of physical evidence, the Madison Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Team determined the fire was caused by smoking materials that were improperly discarded into a wood planter box. The smoking materials ignited the soil and/or wood planter, which led to fire extending to the balcony rail, vinyl siding, and underlying wood framing.