MADISON, Wis. --
A trio of off-duty firefighters were the first at the scene of a Friday night fire and rescued a woman from the burning townhouse complex on Madison's far west side.
Ted Higgins said a neighbor kid saw smoke and alerted him to the fire, which was just a few blocks away from the off-duty firefighter's home.
Higgins said he went to help and recognized two other off-duty firefighters, Lt. Jeff Annen and his son Kyle. Also at the scene -- Joe Gangler -- who is the son of yet another Madison firefighter, according to Lori Wirth, public information officer for the Madison Fire Department.
Together, the four men rescued a 73-year-old woman from her balcony.
"They got her off the ledge," Higgins said. "We helped her down the ladder, right as the fire was blowing out her porch. We got her just in the knick of time."
Higgens and Jeff Annen's next steps were to move to the front of the complex and help evacuate others, Wirth said.
The 73-year-old woman's minor injuries were treated by paramedics at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The Annens stopped to help after spotting thick, black smoke. They were driving to a graduation dinner when they noticed the smoke, prompting Kyle to use a smartphone app to tune into scanner traffic and learn the fire's address, Wirth said.
Madison firefighters would arrive on the scene -- in the 6900 block of Old Sauk Court -- minutes later, around 8:15 p.m.
More than two hours later, fire crews were still there watching for flareups.
The units at 6904 and 6906 Old Sauk Court are considered a total loss; other units had smoke damage.
The American Red Cross Badger Chapter is assisting more than a dozen residents in four units -- the two damaged townhomes and adjacent units, according to Wirth. Five pets were also displaced.
Wirth also said the firewalls inside the complex played a big role in protecting other townhomes and preventing further damage.
Damages are estimated at $750,000.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation on Saturday. Fire officials said they hope to pinpoint a definitive cause and origin of the fire sometime next week.
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