MADISON, Wis. — A fire at UW’s Memorial Union could have been a lot worse, if not for an automatic sprinkler.
Crews were sent to the Union Sunday at around 11:40 a.m. after a fire alarm activated. Firefighters found smoke coming from a first-floor kitchen.
An automatic sprinkler had activated in a custodial room. Inside, crews found a smoldering pile of oily kitchen rags. Memorial Union staff reportedly said that a bag of wet rags had been stored in the room.
Fire Department officials said that the rags are believed to have spontaneously combusted, causing the fire. Officials said that, had the sprinklers not been installed, the fire may have grown much larger and significantly damaged the building.
The Union was re-opened to the public by 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
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