PORTSMOUTH — A garage fire was put out quickly by the Portsmouth Fire Department Wednesday after smoking materials caught fire and spread.
When the homeowners of 270 Turnpike Ave. returned home shortly after 11:30 a.m. from being out, they went into the home and “they saw smoke,” said Fire Chief Jeffrey Lynch.
“Then they found it to be burning in the garage,” he said.
They immediately called 911, he said.
Upon arrival, a team cut power to the home while another fought the fire in the garage.
The fire was put out and ventilation started within 10 minutes of the department’s arrival.
“An aggressive attack by well trained firefighters proved to be the key,” said Chief Lynch. “There was smoke damage throughout the house but the fire was contained to the garage.”
An investigation into the fire’s origin found that improperly disposed of smoking materials had caught fire, he said.
A metal can filled to the brim with discarded smoking materials somehow caught fire, said Chief Lynch. The fire then sparked combustible materials in the garage to catch fire.
Had the homeowners not gotten home when they did, the fire may have been much worse, he said.
“The fire actually had started to impinge upon the attic space,” which can be accessed from the garage, he said. “If it had gotten into the attic I think things would have been very different.”
No one was injured.
The Navy Fire Department covered the station while Portsmouth was out on the call. Bristol Fire Chief Bob Martin arrived at the scene to see if he could help, but the department had it under control.
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