Fire that damages detached garage under investigation

The cause of a Thursday afternoon fire that damaged a detached garage at a home south of Joplin remains under investigation by a state Division of Fire Safety worker.

Assistant Chief Steve Coats of the Redings Mill Fire Department said firefighters were called at 2:55 p.m. Thursday to the home of Allen Scherle at 6803 Douglas Fir Road. Flames had penetrated the attic and roof of the 20-foot-by-40-foot garage by the time firefighters arrived, he said.

The fire was brought under control by 3:30 p.m., Coats said. No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported, he said.

The assistant fire chief said the fire appeared to have started along an exterior wall of the garage and spread to the attic. The Neosho and Duenweg fire departments assisted in dousing the blaze.