Heat Gun Use Led to Apartment Fire on Lathrop

City of Madison fire investigators believe the use of a heat gun to dry out damp wood in a bathroom led to a smoldering fire that cause an estimated $20,000 in damages at a multi-unit structure at 132 Lathrop yesterday. Workers at the apartment were attempting to dry out wood near the bathtub. The wood ignited into a smoldering fire that produced smoke throughout the second-floor apartment. The fire was called in by tenants shortly after 6:00 p.m. They reported the smoke smell had lingered for several hours following the repair work. There were four tenants in the building at the time of the fire. All were evacuated safely. Firefighters from Engine Company 4 were first on scene. They conducted a 360-degree size up of the property and observed smoke coming from the rear of the building. Crews from Engine 4 and Ladder 1 traced the smoke to a bathroom on the second floor. Upon opening the wall beneath the bathroom window, they found smoke and flames inside the wall. Crews extinguished the fire within minutes of their arrival, preventing further extension and exposure to neighboring properties.