Park Avenue Fire Ruled Accidental

A fire that destroyed a multi-family home at Park Avenue and Loveland Street in Madison two months ago has been ruled accidental and is believed to have started in a basement utility room around a furnace or chimney, the borough's fire chief said Wednesday.

Fire Chief Lou DeRosa said fire official Capt. Edward Nunn and an insurance investigator reached the conclusion after continuing their investigation this week, after the burned home was torn down Monday.

Investigators waited until the burned structure was torn down to complete their investigation because part of the first floor had collapsed into the basement during the fire, making it unsafe.

An exact cause was not able to be determined.

"The damage was too extensive," DeRosa said.

The fire tore through the home the morning of Nov. 17. A woman and her dog who lived on the second floor were rescued from the blaze by two Madison firefighters.