Lewiston residents evacuated after garage catches fire

By Davis Archibald

February 8, 2008 | LEWISTON -- An electrical fire burned down a garage and caused residents nearby to be evacuated on Tuesday afternoon in Lewiston.

Inside the garage was a fuel truck with a full tank of diesel and another two tanks with some gasoline inside, Cache County Fire Chief Gary Roberts said.

The owner of the house, who wished not to be named, was driving down Highway 61 when he saw smoke coming from his neighborhood.

"I had a feeling that smoke was coming from my house," he said.

According to Roberts, the fire started because a torpedo heater inside the garage overloaded the wiring of the garage. The fire did not spread to the nearby house, Roberts said, but it did cause some of the siding nearby to melt.

Everyone within a block radius was evacuated but was later allowed back into their homes.

"I felt we were the entertainment of the night," the owner said.

Neighbors and drivers passing by reported the fire, Roberts said.

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