MADISON, Wis. — Several pets were killed and a family was displaced by a dryer fire at a home on Madison’s southwest side Wednesday afternoon.
Officials with the Madison Fire Department said they were first alerted to the fire when a neighbor called 911 to report black smoke coming from the home. Crews responded around 2:15 p.m. to the 4300 block of Doncaster Drive
When they arrived and entered the home, firefighters didn’t find any smoke, but they did find signs that a fire had burned for a long time and caused a “significant” amount of smoke damage through the home.
Further investigation revealed the fire started in a dryer in the basement. Fire officials said it likely burned for hours before eventually getting extinguished when the flames burst a water pipe above the dryer.
The residents weren’t home at the time of the fire, but an unspecified number of pets died as a result. One cat was found alive; it was found in a room with a closed door that protected it from the smoke and effects of the fire. The cat was taken to a veterinary clinic for evaluation.
Fire officials said the dryer was too damaged for investigators to determine the exact cause of the fire.
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