``It was not too badly singed,'' said Justin Sargent, an aide to Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, after conceding his English muffin apparently was responsible.
The toaster was on the Capitol's ground-level floor, in a joint office and snack room in the south wing.
``It's a communal toaster and we unplug it when we're done,'' Sargent said.
But firefighters said someone apparently didn't unplug it, and the resulting smoke set off the alarm at 8:11 a.m. Tuesday.
City Fire Department spokeswoman Bernadette Galvez said a fire engine and ladder truck responded to the scene. Others started out but turned around when notified the call was minor.
``There was a little bit of smoke, but no fire,'' she said. ``There were crumbs, and the toaster itself. They reset the alarm system.''
