Fire Department

Firefighters were dispatched to the Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin Home Office for initial reports of a trash compactor on fire. Building occupants were evacuating as firefighters arrived on scene.

Crews found smoke at the back of the building, where the affected dumpster and trash compactor are located inside. An automatic fire sprinkler in the compactor room controlled the fire until Ladder 8 was able to get the bulk of the fire knocked down.

Firefighters quickly determined the enclosed metal dumpster and its burning contents needed to be physically removed from the building before they could fully extinguish the fire. Pellitteri Waste Systems arrived to pull the dumpster from the compactor, and the contents of the dumpster were poured onto the parking lot so firefighters could douse the remaining fire.

Fire investigators determined the fire was accidental in nature. Total damages are estimated around $500. Nobody was injured, and occupancy of the office building was not impacted.