On Friday, August 16th, the City of Brookfield Fire Department responded to a building fire at 925 Plum Ct. City of Brookfield firefighters arrived at the 4-unit, two story apartment building to find a fire in the kitchen in apartment 202. According to Deputy Chief Matt Erdmann, the fire “was basically extinguished by activation of one sprinkler head positioned near the stovetop/range.” You can contact Deputy Chief Matt Erdmann of the City of Brookfield Fire Department for more information.

A man who said he was, “trying to put out bed bugs with a cigarette,” accidentally started a mattress on fire Thursday in a west side hotel.

Firefighters responded to the hotel overnight for a report of a mattress on fire in one of the rooms, according to a Madison Fire Department incident report.

Guest were evacuated as firefighters responded.

As firefighters entered the hotel, a manager notified them that the mattress had already been brought outside. They went outside to ensure the mattress was fully extinguished.

Upon returning inside, a significant amount of smoke was still lingering in the third floor hallway. Firefighters set up fans to ventilate the interior as they pieced together what happened.

A guest at the hotel explained to firefighters that he was “trying to put out bed bugs with a cigarette,” when the mattress caught fire. The fire then activated an automatic sprinkler.

Firefighters remained on scene until several rooms impacted by the smoke were fully cleared. Nobody was injured during the incident.

City of Madison firefighters were dispatched to an apartment fire when a passerby called 911 to report seeing flames on a balcony in the 1600 block of Waldorf Boulevard at the Mid Town Commons Apartments just after 9:00 pm on Wednesday.

The fire was reported to have started when a charcoal grill caught the third floor apartment’s balcony on fire. Before fire crews arrived, the apartment’s fire sprinkler system activated on the balcony.

A resident of the apartment told firefighters he was grilling bacon on the balcony. It was found that heat from the flare up caused the activation of the sprinkler system. No smoke or fire damage was found to the interior of the apartment.

City of Madison fire code prohibits the use of natural gas or charcoal grills on decks or balconies or within ten feet of combustible construction unless the balcony or deck is protected by automatic sprinklers. The automatic sprinkler system limited damage to the grill, and the residents of the complex were able to stay in their apartments.