Fire Department

A fire that damaged a home patio deck, exterior siding, and a patio door was the result of improperly discarded smoking materials, firefighters determined.

A UPS driver passing through the area of Crested Owl Lane noticed the fire and banged on the door to alert anybody inside. One person was home at the time and came to the door. The occupant grabbed a bucket of water, and eventually a garden hose, to try to put out the fire. Meanwhile, multiple callers dialed 911 to alert the fire department.

Upon arrival, Engine Co. 14 was met by the occupant, who reported the fire was out. Firefighters identified some lingering hot spots in the soffit using a thermal imaging camera. The crew used additional water from the garden hose to cool the hot spots. The interior was checked for fire extension and the crew confirmed there was no fire spread indoors. The occupant was not displaced as a result of the fire.

The occupant reported he had been smoking on the deck prior to the fire. He placed the cigarette butt in a flower pot, which contained dirt and several other discarded cigarette butts, before returning inside. Firefighters noted that burn patterns were consistent with fire originating from the flower pot.

Fire Prevention Tips: The Madison Fire Department has responded to a number of fires recently resulting from -- or suspected to be resulting from -- improperly discarded cigarettes. Firefighters remind everyone to take these steps when discarding cigarettes and other smoking materials:

• Discard your cigarettes in a container that won’t catch on fire. Use an approved ashtray, metal coffee canister, or a bucket with sand.
• Put your cigarette out all the way. Put water on the ashes and butts to make sure they are totally extinguished before placing them in the trash.
• Empty your ashtray often so cigarette butts don’t pile up. Even if you throw your cigarettes in a proper receptacle, the butts can still catch on fire, especially if the receptacle is full.