Six people escaped a fire at 419 West Doty St. early Monday morning, but damage totaled close to $380,000, according to the Madison Fire Department.

According to MFD Public Information Officer Bernadette Galvez, nine fire crews answered a 911 call around 4 a.m. from one of the building's residents. One of the residents reported the fire as "moving fast," Galvez said.

"Flames were coming out the windows and the front door," Galvez said. "The fire crew went right in, attacked the fire and also did a search rescue."

The first fire crew arrived to find 4-foot flames blazing through the first floor windows, front door and the second floor of the three-story home, according to a fire department release. Fire crews had the fire under control by 4:06 a.m., but were forced to chase "hot spots" in areas of the house until 5:39 a.m., a MFD release stated.

None of the six people — five residents and a guest — inside the residence were injured. The five residents will now be staying with friends, according to the release.

Residents of two neighboring buildings were also forced to evacuate their homes until after 6 a.m., Galvez added.

"Definitely, it's one of the bigger fires we've had," she said. "We're just lucky no one got hurt."

Galvez attributed the quick spread of the fire to the older structure of the house, built in 1904. The house uses a balloon framing system, typical of houses built in that time period. The structure is constructed of wood which runs studs from the bottom floor to the top of the house frame.

"In 1904, the framing of the house was as tall as the trees at that time," Galvez said. "You can drop a coin upstairs all the way down to the basement of the building."

Despite the wood material, balloon framing aims to slow down fires unless the fire reaches the open cavity between the framework.

"[The fire] got into that space and we ended up chasing the fire throughout the walls," Galvez said. "The construction as a whole is the reason it caused that much fire damage throughout the home."

According to Galvez, many of the houses on Doty Street and in the downtown area are older and may have similar framings. She added it is especially unfortunate that the five residents do not carry renter's insurance.

"Even if the landlord had some insurance, it just covers the building," she said.

Faris Rashad, a campus outreach coordinator for the Tenant Resource Center, said renter's insurance is a good idea for any tenant.

"Especially in situations with a fire, unless it's the landlord's fault, [the landlords] are not going to be responsible in any way," he said.

As a counselor for tenants, Rashad said, in his belief, the majority of students do not have renter's insurance.

Galvez emphasized the importance of getting renter's insurance, especially after the magnitude of the fire.

"In most cases, it's less than $100 a year," she said. "It's just a good idea."