Garage destroyed by fire

A detached garage and the vintage vehicles it contained were destroyed in an overnight fire last week in Normal.

Normal firefighters responded to the report of a garage fire at 1212 Wall Street at 2:46. The first arriving firefighters found the two-car detached garage fully involved in fire and began firefighting operations. Firefighters cut the overhead garage doors off and attacked the fire from the exterior from multiple angles. An additional engine company was placed on Market Street to the north and pulled hose lines between houses to protect them from the radiant heat from the fire. Just before 3 AM, a greater alarm was struck out which calls back off-duty firefighters to staff stations during the incident, and requests an engine company from Bloomington Fire Department.

The fire was deemed under control in about 30 minutes, but firefighters remained at the scene until just before 5 AM to extinguish hot spots and to verify that the fire was fully extinguished.

The garage contained vintage vehicles, motorcycles, and a work shop, all of which were destroyed. The fire knocked down power lines and destroyed the fence on the north side of the property. Ameren was at the scene this morning repairing the downed power lines. The residence at 1212 Wall is approximately 30 feet from the garage and was not damaged by the fire. An adjacent storage shed sustained only minor damage from radiant heat.

There were no injuries, and no one was inside the garage at the time of the fire.

A damage estimate is not available, but the garage and its contents are a total loss. The property is insured.

Fire investigators are working at the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire.