Generator Sparks Detached Garage Fire on North Halstead Road

A generator being used inside a detached garage is believed to have caused a fire Tuesday night in Saline County.

According to the Saline County Sheriff's Department, emergency crews were sent at about 8:19 p.m. to 937 North Halstead Road for a report of a residential fire.

A 52-year-old homeowner told officers he had been using a generator outside to power a refrigerator and freezer with extension cords. With rain expected, he unplugged the generator, moved it into a detached garage, then plugged everything back in.

A short time later, the homeowner heard honking from the driveway. When he went outside, a passerby alerted him that his garage was on fire.

The detached garage, estimated at about 30 feet by 30 feet, sustained charring, burned ceiling insulation, and fire damage to the north end of the roof. The homeowner estimated damage to the building at about $2,000. The generator, valued at about $600, was destroyed.

Rural Fire District No. 7 responded. The fire had been extinguished before firefighters arrived, but crews continued cooling the generator with a garden hose until it was safe.

Officials determined the generator likely overheated because it was enclosed and lacked proper airflow.