By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL  – Investigators in Normal have figured out what caused a fire in a student apartment Wednesday afternoon.

The fire was in a third floor apartment in The Lodge at 214 West Willow in Normal.

The Normal Fire Department says a quilt used as a window covering came into contact with an incandescent light bulb in a lamp on the nightstand.

Investigators say the hot bulb touched the quilt because the lamp shade had been removed.

The bedroom’s sprinkler system put out the fire, but there is water and moderate smoke damage, according to the fire department.

No dollar estimate of damage is available.

Young America Realty owns The Lodge, and the fire department reports the building is insured.

The fire that destroyed a garage and damaged several vehicles in south Bloomington on Wednesday afternoon was also determined to be an accident. The fire was caused by a torch that lit some combustile material as the homeowner was working on a pickup truck when the fire started.

No one was injured in either fire.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]