LP Heater Blamed for Garage Fire

A portable LP heater that was being used to thaw some frozen ground for utility work is being blamed for a fire that damaged a garage in Rochester Monday evening.

Rochester Fire Department Battalion Chief Eric Kerska says the heater ignited a tarp and the flames spread to the garage at 826 2nd street northwest. A neighbor had managed to nearly extinguished the flames by the time firefighters arrived at the scene around 6:30 p.m., but the fire flared up in the attic area of the structure and ended up causing about $3000 in damage.