A fire broke out Wednesday night in the detached garage of a home in the 600 block of Ridge Avenue.

The homeowner alerted Evanston Fire Department to a fire in his two-car garage about 6:20 p.m. Engine 22 was the first to respond and was able to prevent the fire from engulfing the two and a half story home, Fire Chief Brian Scott said.

EFD extended multiple hoses to attack the main body of the fire and prevent its spread.

No one was injured in the fire, and firefighters were able to rescue a cat from inside the house. Firefighters searched all floors of the house and did not detect more fire.

Susan Doxtator and her son were walking nearby when they saw the fire. They said the flames were about 25 to 30 feet tall and smelled like pine.

Due to the magnitude of the flames, EFD upgraded the fire to a MABAS Box Alarm, first level, calling in neighboring fire departments for aid and coverage, Scott said.

Scott said although the garage is a “total loss,” the home, aside from moderate water and smoke damage, remained intact.

“Quick response times made a big difference here in making sure the fire didn’t extend into the house,” Scott said.

Due to the fire, EFD blocked off Ridge Avenue from Main Street to Oakton Street, but Ridge has since reopened in the southbound direction. Northbound traffic on Ridge remained blocked at Seward Street as of early evening, according to an Evanston Police Department tweet.

Firefighters are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Colin Boyle contributed reporting.

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