Investigation continues into cause of Piqua garage fire that damaged 7 structures

The garage fire on South Street caused serious damage to a second garage, Piqua Assistant Fire Chief Chad Kennedy said, and at least six other structures in the neighborhood were damaged as well due to the heat.

The damage included mostly melted siding, Kennedy said, with the dollar loss to buildings and contents estimated at $85,000. The fire was reported shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday in the 1200 block of South Street.

Fire crews worked quickly to douse neighboring homes and garages with water to minimize the spread of flames and heat, he said.

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Kennedy also confirmed that two women in the home where the garage fire began were alerted to flames by passersby who just happened to be going through town, saw flames and began knocking on doors.

The assist by the Good Samaritans is “always a big help because time matters when it comes to people getting out safely,” Kennedy said.

Firefighters put out blaze in Piqua Firefighters put out blaze in Piqua

Sara Curtis, of Covington, and her daughter were among the passers-by who took action when they saw the flames.

“Went right in,” Sara Curtis said. “I didn’t even knock. I opened the door and was like ‘is anybody in here.’ ”

They were able to safely hustle Becky Baker, Baker’s mother and two dogs out of the home.

There were two vehicles in the garage where the fire began, he said, but it was too soon to estimate the dollar amount of damage to the structures and contents.

Baker confirmed that two cars were in the garage, along with “a bunch of garage sale stuff, clothing, tools and everything.”

Kennedy said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

No injuries were reported, Kennedy said, and it’s not clear what sparked the blaze.

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