http://www.madison.com/tct/news/index.php?ntid=286082
Fire rages in frat house; damage estimated at $750,000
Instead of cramming for finals, 25 members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity sat on a Metro Transit bus early this morning at the corner of Langdon and Frances streets keeping warm as dozens of Madison firefighters battled a massive fire that enveloped their fraternity house. The fire department got the first call at 11:41 p.m. Monday after a city of Madison police officer noticed a glow that she thought was a grill at the back of the house, said Madison Fire Department spokeswoman Bernadette Galvez. When the officer investigated she found that the back of the house was on fire, Galvez said. "It's good to know everybody's out and safe," she said at the scene as the firefighters behind her pumped 1,000 gallons of water a minute into the top level of the three-story wooden house at 237 Langdon St.
Fire Chief Debra Amesqua ordered all of the firefighters to leave the house because she feared structural collapse, Galvez said.
"A lot of fire was coming out of that building," she said. "Once fire gets into the attic, that's free space for it to burn." The fire was put out about three hours later at 2:38 a.m. A cause won't be determined for a few days, Galvez said. Damage is estimated at $750,000.
|
