Firefighters believe an improperly discarded cigarette likely caused an apartment fire on Madison's east side, according to a release by the city's fire department.
The third-story apartment is located along the 3300 block of Packers Avenue. On Tuesday evening, a neighbor called 911 after noticing a small fire on the deck of the apartment, said Cynthia Schuster a public information officer with the fire department.
Firefighters used an extinguisher to put out the small fire, Schuster said.
A man living at the home said he typically smokes on the deck. He usually throws his cigarettes in a water-filled container, but it was empty Tuesday night. He also said he keeps the container in a cardboard box, according to the release.