Inver Grove Heights crews kept the fire from extending into the attached home.
A firefighter was injured while battling a house fire caused by discarded ashes on Monday morning.
Units from the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department (IGHFD) were dispatched to the 7900 block of Cooper Avenue at 11:05 a.m. IGHFD Chief 2 found the garage well involved. It was attached to a one-story ranch house.
Crews on IGHFD Engine 33 performed a quick exterior attack on the front of the garage and the burning vehicle in the driveway with a 1 3/4-inch line, according to IGHFD Chief Judy Thill.
A second crew, using a 2 1/2-inch hoseline, fought the main body of fire through a door in the rear of the garage.
As firefighters checked for extension, they found that fire had reached the attic space. According to Chief Thill, they used a piercing nozzle to knock down the fire above.
Mutual aid was requested with one engine from the South Metro Fire Department and units from Mendota Heights and Eagan covered Inver Grove Heights stations.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries when he was caught in a partial ceiling collapse. He was transported to an area hospital by HealthEast.
Firefighters removed several computers and other personal items from the unburned portion of the home. The fire was placed under control in 30 minutes.
Embers from a recreational fire the night before were discarded in a plastic garbage can that was left next to the house, Thill said. The damage was estimated at $45,000.
About 30 firefighters manning a half-dozen units responded to the fire. All units cleared the scene at 1:21 p.m.
