Regina firefighters respond to house fire, 2 garage fires Thursday

Regina firefighters were kept busy dealing with two garage fires and a fire at an empty house on Thursday morning and early afternoon.

Christopher Dowie woke up Thursday morning to discover smoke pouring out of the workshop in his back yard on Retallack Street past 1st Avenue.

Looking at the burnt-out shell of his garage, he said he had no idea how it might have started, noting that he was working inside the night before.

“I’m just devastated, I had such plans,” Dowie said.

The workshop and surrounding yard are packed full of old items because he said he likes to work on projects.

“It was crammed full of stuff,” he explained. “I’m a recycler and mild inventor.”

Firefighters stayed on the scene for a while, because the blaze flared up again.

Another garage on McNaughton Avenue was left in ruins after a fire broke out around noon. Everyone got out of the home safely.

Garage charred on McNaughton Ave in NW. Nobody hurt. Neighbour tells me she heard what she thought were explosions pic.twitter.com/ujpRswfJxd

— Kevin Martel (@KevinMartel) November 19, 2015

Pauline Taylor lives next door.

“Definitely there was an explosion, it was in the garage,” she said.

“We heard three explosions, just like a bomb.”

The fire department says the sound could have been caused by tires popping on a vehicle. Crews are searching for a cause.

Later on Thursday afternoon, Regina firefighters responded to another call about a house fire at 777 Garnet St. The house was full of items, but nobody lived there.

There is no word on any cause at this time.