Fire Department

Nobody was injured in a garage fire discovered Wednesday afternoon on the east side. The homeowner returned to the house to find alarms sounding and smoke coming from the front door. He called 911, summoning Engine Co. 13 and other east side fire companies to the 300 block of Alton Drive.

Upon arrival, Engine Co. 13 reported nothing showing from the outside of the home. The crew performed a 360-degree survey of the property, which led to the discover of smoke inside and in the back of the house. Medic 5 performed an interior search and confirmed nobody was inside, nor was there active fire.

As their search continued, firefighters discovered active fire inside the garage. After a swift fire attack, the fire was knocked down within three minutes. The fire and its radiant heat caused damage to the contents of the garage and an adjacent room of the attached home. There was no damage to the living spaces inside the home.

Fire investigators, already on scene as part of the initial structure fire response, concluded the fire was accidental and the result of spontaneous combustion of improperly disposed rags and painting materials.