Cause Of West Side Car Fire Unknown

The sound of a car alarm in a west side residential parking lot is what alerted its owner that something was wrong. At first it appeared his left headlight was on, but he soon realized the “light” was actually a fire inside the lamp.
 
He ran outside to get a closer look, accidentally locking himself out of the building in the process. A neighbor let him back in and he was able to call 911 for help. By the time he returned outside in hopes of finding a garden hose, the engine compartment was fully engulfed.
 
Ladder 7 arrived at 2:30 a.m. and firefighters used the bumper line to put out the fire. No other vehicles were nearby, and the car was parked a safe distance from the nearby building entrance.
 
The vehicle has not had any recent mechanical work done, according to the owner. Other than some battery issues, there were no recent maintenance issues to report.
 
The vehicle suffered extensive flame and smoke damage, and the engine compartment was a total loss, according to the fire officer on scene.
 
The cause of the fire remained under investigation and in the care of the Madison Police Department when crews left the scene.