Madison Firefighters Extinguish Smoky Furniture Store Fire

Madison firefighters responded to the Slumberland Furniture Store at 2201 East Springs Dr. today just before 9:00 am and found the building filled with smoke.

Crews were responding to a water flow alarm from the building's sprinkler system. Upon arrival, Engine Company 8 noted interior smoke and immediately stretched a hoseline. A manager on site unlocked the building, where firefighters encountered heavy smoke. When crews made entry into the building, the smoke made locating the source of the fire difficult. Crews followed the sound of water flowing from a sprinkler head at the rear of the building.

When they reached the area, they observed flames coming from multiple items of furniture. Firefighters knocked the fire down in just two minutes, but the smoke conditions remained dangerous. Positive pressure ventilation was begun to clear the building, but the size of more than 50,000 square feet, much of it open space, challenged the capacity of the fans used for that purpose.

The officer on scene dispatched the airboat shared by the MFD and Dane County. The airboat was positioned at a loading dock area at the rear of the building and dramatically increased the ventilation of the entire building.

Damages are still being calculated.

Investigators are on the scene. Their preliminary determination is that an electrical fault may have caused the fire.

Images