Fire Department

A Madison household learned there was a fire in their kitchen thanks to both a working smoke detector and their cloud-connected Google Nest.

After cooking and eating breakfast Tuesday morning, one Putnam Road resident headed off to work and the other stayed home but was upstairs when the fire broke out. While upstairs, she heard the smoke alarm sounding and returned to the kitchen, where she discovered a couple plastic trays lying on the still-active stovetop.

Meanwhile, the smoke detectors sent off an alert to the husband through their in-home Google Nest. He was still in the neighborhood and was alerted via his smartphone. He promptly returned home, called 911, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and put out the fire.

Ladder Company 7 arrived moments later and inspected the kitchen for any signs of hidden fire. Heat signatures persisted inside and around the microwave, so firefighters removed it and set it outside. There were no other signs of fire extension. The home was ventilated to rid the interior of remaining smoke.

Although this incident was caught early and everybody made it out uninjured, the Madison Fire Department reminds you that it is unsafe to return inside after a fire is discovered in the home. Fire grows fast, and its smoke can affect you much sooner than the fire itself. Evacuate immediately, closing doors and windows behind you as you’re able, and dial 911 so firefighters can be dispatched as soon as possible.