MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Fire Department says used charcoal is to blame for a large dumpster fire on the city’s far west side earlier this week, and it’s part of a larger trend they’re seeing lately.
Ladder 7 was called out to the 6500 block of Raymond Road just after 9 a.m. Monday for a fire in a fenced-in dumpster area. Firefighters saw flames coming from the top of a dumpster and extending to a chain link fence nearby, meltting the plastic privacy strips that were woven into the fence.
The fire was put out in just a few minutes and the dumpster was removed from the area.
A person nearby said they had put used charcoal in the dumpster prior to the fire, thinking the coals were cold.
The Madison Fire Department says they’ve seen an uptick in fires inside garbage containers and dumpsters over the last four days, which may be related to others dumping coals or ashes from a grill or outdoor fire. They want to remind people coals and ashes can still heat and reignite for up to 72 hours, even if they appear to be out.
Dousing the coals or ashes with water and keeping them in an air-tight metal container at least 10 feet from your home or other buildings may help reduce the risk of a quickly-spreading fire.
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