Fire destroys garage on Benton Street

An electrical generator surrounded by old clothes and tires sparked a fire Saturday in a garage on South Benton Street in Cape Girardeau.

The old single-car garage was a total loss, said Capt. Brian Shaffer of the Cape Girardeau Fire Department.

"It was totally engulfed when we arrived," Schaffer said. Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after noon.

The generator was being used to provide power to the home at 808 S. Benton St., which had no utility service, Schaffer said. A 60-foot extension cord was used to convey the power to the kitchen of the home.

Firefighers were uncertain what sparked the fire, Schaffer said, but "there were a lot of combustibles mounted around the generator. There was minor damage to the exterior of the house near the garage where the siding was starting to melt."