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UPDATE: Lightning Strike Causes Gas Leak and Fire

UPDATED Wednesday, July 25, 2012 --- 8:00 a.m.

Investigators believe a lightning strike hit a tree, causing a gas leak and fire this morning, just before 4:00 a.m. along Spyglass Court in Madison.

Here is the incident report from the Madison Fire Department:

DISPATCH INFORMATION
At 03:50:42 on 07/25/12 firefighters were dispatched for Outside gas or vapor combustion explosion

ON SCENE SIZE-UP
Upon Engine 9 arrival, flames were visible from the ground around a tree trunk in the front yard of 1 W. Spyglass Ct.

SUMMARY
E9 pulled an 1 3/4 inch attack line to protect the building adjacent to the fire. E9 asked that MG&E be dispatched to the scene to shut off the gas main in the area.

The flame was allowed to continue burning to prevent the spread of unburned natural gas, but E9 protected the tree and the home adjacent to it.

Gas levels were monitored in all of the homes on Spyglass Ct. Initially, there were no significant levels of natural gas present. About a half hour into the incident, E9 found gas levels rising in the home at 1 Spyglass Ct. and evacuated the residents.

MG&E arrived on scene and had to close three different gas main valves to stop the flow of gas. It took another half hour for the pressure in the gas lines to recede enough for fire to go out. Once the fire had no fuel left to burn and went out another gas level reading was taken in all the homes on the court. All of them were safe to occupy at that time. The scene was left in the hands of MG&E.

________________________________________________

UPDATED Wednesday, July 25, 2012 -- 5:40 a.m.

The fire is now out, and crews are working to clean up the scene (Spyglass Court, near the intersection of Old Sauk Road and North Gammon Road).

NBC15's Tim Elliott is at the scene -- covering this story. He says investigators believe a lightning strike hit a tree, causing the gas leak and fire.

No one was injured.

________________________________________________

Posted Wednesday, July 25, 2012 --- 5:10 a.m.

Madison Firefighters are on the scene of a gas leak fire.

The call initially came in shortly before 4:00 a.m. about a fire on Spyglass Court, near the intersection of Old Sauk Road and North Gammon Road.

Many residents are waiting in their vehicles as firefighters monitor the flames.

Dispatchers tell us Madison Gas & Electric is handling the situation.


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