UPDATE
Date/Time of Update: 5/27/20 / 1:15 p.m.
Prepared by: Lt. Edward Hartwick
Shortly after 10:30 this morning, investigators left the apartment on Chalet Gardens Road following an additional search for non-hazardous evidence. Earlier this morning, the hazardous items located in the apartment were removed and the building was deemed safe for occupancy.
The investigation has so far revealed several of the materials inside the apartment have explosive properties but based on available evidence, there does not appear to be any indication of an intent to use the materials to cause damage or harm. There is no evidence to indicate an ongoing threat to the community and there is no evidence to indicate any damage or injuries have resulted from the presence of the materials located in the apartment.
The individual taken into protective custody at the beginning of the incident is the sole resident of the apartment. The resident was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation and treatment.
Information and evidence obtained during this investigation will be evaluated for any potential referral of criminal charges to the Dane County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation remains open and there is no further information available for release.
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UPDATE
Date/Time of Update: 5/27/20 / 3:15 a.m.
Prepared By: Lt. Edward Hartwick
Shortly after 2:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, personnel investigating the potentially hazardous materials found inside the apartment on Chalet Gardens Road deemed the area safe.
The American Red Cross assisted in providing temporary housing for occupants of two apartment units in the building who were evacuated due to the investigation. Occupants of a third apartment in the building were able to make other arrangements. The Red Cross will coordinate the return of building occupants Wednesday morning.
While the apartment and building have been determined to be safe, officers will likely remain on scene through the morning while the investigation is completed.
No injuries were reported as a result of the materials in the apartment and no damage to the building occurred. There is no ongoing threat or danger to the community related to this incident.
The investigation remains open and there is no further information available for release at this time.
Personnel from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Devices Unit, along with members of the 54th WMD-Civil Support Team of the Wisconsin National Guard, assisted with the investigation of the hazardous materials.
Fitchburg Fire Rescue and Fitch-Rona EMS also assisted during the incident.
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ORIGINAL RELEASE
Incident Type:Check Welfare/Potentially Hazardous Materials
Location: 2300 block of Chalet Gardens Road
Incident Date: 5/26/20
Release Date: 5/26/20
Incident #: 20-8787
Prepared By: Lt. Edward Hartwick
Incident Details:
Personnel from the Fitchburg Police Department and other responders are at an apartment building in the 2300 block of Chalet Gardens Road, investigating potentially hazardous materials found in an apartment.
Around 5:00 p.m. today, May 26, 2020, Fitchburg officers responded to the apartment on Chalet Gardens Road for a family member requesting a welfare check of the resident there. Officers located the resident and took them into protective custody. While inside the apartment, officers noticed several potentially hazardous items and evacuated the area.
Out of an abundance of caution, other residents of the apartment building have been evacuated. Emergency personnel and investigators remain on at the scene, working to investigate the materials and make the area safe.
Non-residents are asked to avoid the surrounding area.
As this is a developing investigation, no further information is available for release at this time.
Updates will be provided as new information becomes available for release.