The Fitchburg Fire Department received a pre-alert at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 for a possible structure fire near County Highways M & MM in Fitchburg. Additional information received en-route indicated a possible truck fire at 4775 County Highway B, facilities operated by Madison Prehung Doors.
First arriving fire units reported a metal building on fire as well as a delivery truck that was parked at the loading dock. The building is at the south end of the property and there are no hydrants in the area so firefighters had to establish a water supply. This is done using a combination of a collapsible water tank and an engine to simulate a hydrant, along with additional engines to carry the water to the location of the fire; for this particular fire, 2 one-thousand-foot water relays were established. Hand lines connected to the last engine on each water relay were then used by firefighters to extinguish the fire.
Two alarms were called under the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). Approximately 55 firefighters from the following fire departments assisted: Stoughton, McFarland, Monona, City of Madison, Town of Madison, Brooklyn, Oregon, Verona and Middleton; as well as paramedics from FitchRona EMS. Fitchburg Police also assisted by closing off a stretch of County Highway B to allow the fire department to establish the water supply operations. No injuries were reported.
The fire was declared under control approximately 1-1/2 hours into the incident and units remained on the scene to cool hot spots until approximately midnight.
Structural steel in the southern third of the building was damaged by heat from the fire and will likely need to be replaced. There was also smoke and heat damage to contents throughout the building. No dollar loss has been determined at this time and the cause is still under investigation; however, it does not appear to be suspicious in nature.
For further information contact:
Deputy Chief Rich Roth
608-278-2980
rich.roth@fitchburgwi.gov