Firefighters investigate cause of garage fire that spread to home

A garage fire that spread to the adjacent home sent a pillar of black smoke into the Ramona sky about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

One firefighter was injured and four adults displaced by the blaze, which caused about $80,000 damage to the 1,900- to 2,000-square-foot single-story structure at 828 Pile St., Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler said at the scene.

The injured firefighter suffered a minor burn to a hand and was treated at the scene, said Mohler. A Red Cross representative arrived about 11:15 a.m. to assist the two men and two women living in the home. One of the residents was home when the fire started.

Crews from Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, and Barona Fire responded to the blaze. Forest service firefighters arrived first after seeing smoke from their station nearby, said USFS Firefighter Cheryl Raines. The fire started in an outbuilding and spread into the garage and then the attic of the home, she said.

Virginia Papazian, who lives next door to the burned structure, heard “explosion after explosion” coming from the garage and said her daughter used a garden hose to spray water on

their home.

Cause of the fire is not suspicious, and Cal Fire is investigating how it started, said Mohler.

It took firefighters about 40 minutes to contain the blaze, and they expected to be on scene until about noon.