Fire Department

The Madison Fire Department responded to the 2200 block of Independence Lane after a vehicle crashed into a building there. Upon arrival, Medic 8 found a sedan partially situated in the side of a multi-occupancy single-story commercial building. The vehicle pushed the brick veneer and internal drywall approximately one to two feet into the building. The driver was not injured, and all occupants were able to evacuate the building without injury.

Engine Co. 8 turned off the natural gas supply to the building as a precaution. The crew, which comprises the Madison Fire Department’s Heavy Urban Rescue Team (HURT), determined the building was structurally stable despite the significant damage to the side of the building. City of Madison Building Inspection, MGE, and a vehicle tow company were all notified of the incident and were asked to respond. Building Inspection confirmed the building’s structural stability, and MGE confirmed there were no electrical or natural gas hazards.

The driver told firefighters he swerved to miss a chipmunk crossing the road and mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake prior to the crash.