At approximately 2:30 pm on Tuesday, April 9, the Central Dakota Communications Center received multiple reports of a garage on fire on the 300 block of East Avenue F. The Bismarck Fire Department was dispatched to investigate.
The first arriving fire unit reported a two story residential garage with smoke showing from the exterior. The fire unit established command and made contact with a bystander who stated that the building was still occupied. A fire crew entered the garage to conduct a primary search while additional fire crews deployed hose lines and attacked the fire. More fire crews arrived on scene and assisted with establishing water supply, and fire attack. Once the primary search confirmed that the structure was unoccupied, the fire was extinguished. Fire crews ventilated the building of smoke then conducted an overhaul operation to find and extinguish any smoldering materials.
Six fire department apparatus and 17 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. Bismarck Police Department assisted with scene control. Metro Area Ambulance was on scene to provide medical support. MDU was on scene to secure utilities. The building was occupied at the time of the fire. There were no injuries to the building occupant and there were no injuries to first responders.
There was extensive fire and smoke damage to the second floor of the garage building. A fire investigation was conducted and the area of origin was identified. The investigation findings and witness interviews indicated that a floor lamp may have been involved in the cause of the fire. The cause of this fire has been classified as witnessed accidental.
For more information contact the Bismarck Fire Department at (701) 355-1400 or https://www.bismarcknd.gov/19/Fire.