A fire just southwest of Sarto claimed a garage and all of its contents last night.

Hanover Fire Chief Paul Wiebe says his crews were called to the structure fire at 7:10 PM and arrived to find a detached garage engulfed in flames. Wiebe gives his analysis of the situation.

“It had started out as a garbage fire in a burn barrel and spread from there onto the grass and then towards the structure, a detached garage, which is pretty much destroyed.”

The fire was extinguished in roughly two hours. Wiebe notes this is the second structure fire started in a burn barrel that his crews have responded to in the past week alone.

“Burn barrels aren’t the safest way to burn garbage, that we have known for a long time," states the chief. "It starts in the barrel, spreads to the grass, and when it’s got fuel and a little bit of wind, it is going to expand.”

Conditions continue to be unseasonably dry outside and Wiebe asks homeowners to exercise extreme caution while burning.