The Turlock Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire that ignited in the garage of a Turlock residence Friday afternoon.

A quick response from firefighters kept the blaze from encroaching on the main residence and allowed the occupants to remain in their home, said Turlock Fire Chief Robert Talloni.

“Turlock City Firefighters cut the fire off at the garage, preventing further damage and ultimately saving the home,” Talloni said.

The fire was reported at 4:45 p.m. Friday at a residence in the 300 block of Grant Avenue.

The first firefighters to arrive at the scene found thick black smoke pouring out of the garage and lingering over the neighborhood. Initially, fire crews faced some difficulties in reaching the fire because of obstacles blocking their access and some unrestrained dogs in the yard.

After successfully addressing these issues, firefighters launched an aggressive attack on the fire, confining it to the 40 feet by  30 feet  attached garage. The fire was brought under control within approximately 20 minutes, though crews remained at the scene for about three hours to overhaul the fire area and start the fire investigation.

During the operation one firefighter sustained a minor injury and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Turlock Fire responded with four engines, one Battalion Chief, two Division Chiefs and the Fire Marshal totaling 15 personnel. The Ceres Fire Department responded with one Engine Company and one Battalion Chief, providing additional support and assisting Turlock Rural Fire with city coverage throughout the incident. PG&E, Turlock Irrigation and American Medical Response also responded to the scene to secure utilities and provide support services.

Any persons with information about the cause of this incident should contact Fire Marshal Mark Gomez at 668-5580.