It took Madison firefighters most of Tuesday afternoon to knock down a fire that largely gutted a warehouse on the city’s Southeast Side but resulted in no reported injuries.
The fire department was dispatched to 2334 Vondron Road just after noon when people called 911 to say they heard an explosion and saw black smoke rising from the building.
Madison firefighters work to extinguish a warehouse fire at 2334 Vondron Road Tuesday that burned for several hours and was possibly fueled by a large quantity of cardboard in the building. No injuries were reported.
Two hours later, firefighters were still trying to bring the fire under control and believed large quantities of cardboard stored in the building were fueling the flames.
The warehouse, which according to property records is owned by Hogan Properties, was used to store boxes and plastic for the nearby Oakhouse Bakery, said Carlos Moreno, a forklift operator at the building. A person who answered the phone Tuesday afternoon at the bakery, located on Mustang Way, said no one was available to comment on the fire and declined to say whether the bakery uses the warehouse.
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Smoke rises from a warehouse on fire Tuesday at 2334 Vondron Road on Madison's Southeast Side.
Jerry Hogan, of Poynette, who owns the warehouse through Hogan Properties, also declined to comment on the fire Tuesday or say what has been stored in the warehouse.
Fire department spokesperson Cynthia Schuster said firefighters were concerned about the building’s structural integrity due to the amount of fire and water damage and that after an exterior wall showed signs of bowing, firefighters had to leave the building and fight the fire from the outside only.
“The building itself had a metal exterior, which held up against the fire rather well,” she said. “It is safe to say the contents within the building are destroyed.”
By 4:30 p.m. the fire had been put out, the Fire Department reported, but firefighters were continuing to sift through the scene and put out hot spots. One engine crew was to remain at the scene overnight for fire watch, and fire investigators also remained at the scene to continue their investigation, while Vondron opened Tuesday night.
Schuster said there are three street addresses associated with the building but most of the damage was to the part of the building at 2334 Vondron Road.
