Fire Department

Fire investigators were not able to definitively determine the exact cause of this fire, but the fire is not believed to be suspicious. Among the possible causes were improperly discarded smoking materials or a renegade ember from a fire pit that had been used near the building hours earlier.

--PIO Cynthia Schuster

Investigators are looking into what caused a fire that totaled an east side garage and damaged other nearby buildings.

Engine Co. 3 was dispatched to the area of East Dayton Street and Fifth Street for reports of a possible burning complaint. While en route, the Dane County 911 Public Safety Communications Center received multiple calls reporting a garage on fire in the area. Engine 3 summoned additional east side and downtown crews for a full structure fire response.

The detached garage was fully engulfed upon Engine 3’s arrival, and the radiant heat was already affecting nearby structures. Engine 3 began to flow water back and forth, alternately attacking the main garage fire while wetting down the exposed home nearby. Engine Co. 8 arrived next to provide additional water to Engine 3 and take over extinguishment of the home siding. Medic 3 joined Engine 3 in the fire fight of the main garage. Ladder Co. 1 performed overhaul, and crews remained on scene for an extended period of time to put out smoldering hot spots.

The garage is considered a total loss. Although the home exterior suffered damage as a result of the fire, firefighters confirmed the fire did not spread to the interior. The family was not displaced and nobody was injured. The cause remains under investigation at this time.