MADISON, Wis. -- A former firefighter pulled two children from a van filled with smoke in Madison on Tuesday afternoon.

Madison fire officials said that they believe the fire started at about 5:30 p.m. from an electrical malfunction in the interior lighting of the vehicle. They said that the blaze ignited curtains, pillow, bench seat and the captain's chair while the children were still inside. The van was located near the McDonald's on Park Street.

A bystander, Paul Elvord, was at that McDonald's when he was alerted by someone who screamed that a van was on fire in the parking lot. Elvord told another bystander to call 911, grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran outside. He saw the children huddled in the front of the conversion van and saw the fire towards the back of the van.

Elvord pulled the children from the van and put the fire out before firefighters arrived.

Investigators said Elvord's quick actions likely saved the children's lives. Medics evaluated the children on scene, but they didn't need to go to the hospital.