Durham Firefighters Cover for Crews During Madison Business Blaze

When flames erupted Thursday morning at a building in downtown Madison, volunteer firefighters from Durham responded by covering for the North Madison Fire Department.

State and local fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire that destroyed 734-738 Boston Post Road, which housed the Madison Wine Shop and Village Pizza, as well as the law firm of Hill & Hill.

The early morning fire, which broke out sometime before 3:30 a.m., was not immediately detected because there wasn't a fire alarm in the building, or it wasn't operating properly, according to emergency responders and people familiar with the businesses in the building. The heat of the fire appears to have blown out a side window, which activated a fire alarm, according to early unconfirmed reports. 

That alarm prompted a response by the police department, which determined there was a fire. They pulled the alarm, calling in the town's volunteer firefighters from Madison Hose Co. No. 1 and also the North Madison Volunteer Fire Co. 

Madison Hose Co. No. 1 Fire Chief Bobby Kyttle said he wanted to thank firefighters from several surrounding towns responded, including Branford, Guilford, Durham, Killingworth and Clinton.