Woman Injured While Attempting To Fix Dent Using Open Flame

A Madison woman was injured Thursday after attempting to repair a dent on a vehicle’s bumper using open flame.

Ladder Company 2 was dispatched to Greening Lane around 6:00 p.m. after a neighbor heard cries for help and looked out her window to see “liquid flames” dripping from the car. The neighbor retrieved a fire extinguisher and ran across the street to help put out the fire. It was completely extinguished prior to firefighters’ arrival.

The woman told firefighters she was attempting to warm up the plastic bumper with a cigarette lighter in hopes of making it malleable so she could pop out a dent. The bumper caught on fire, and melted plastic began falling from the car.

The fire was put to a stop before it could spread beyond the rear bumper. The woman planned to seek medical attention on her own for fire-related injuries and did not wish to be taken to the hospital by MFD.