Editor's Note: This story has been updated.
On Tuesday, at approximately 7:36 p.m., the Crawfordsville Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 600 block of East Wabash Avenue.
Upon arrival, crews found a fully involved detached garage located behind a residence at 607 E. Wabash Ave. The fire had begun to spread to the two-story home and was threatening three nearby structures.
Firefighters initiated a coordinated response on three fronts, including a defensive attack on the garage, a defensive operation to protect adjacent structures, and an offensive interior attack within the residence. The fire was quickly brought under control, with the incident declared under control at approximately 8:30 p.m.
All occupants had safely evacuated prior to firefighters’ arrival. Crews were also able to safely retrieve pets from the residence and return them to the homeowners. No injuries were reported among civilians, firefighters or pets.
The detached garage is considered a total loss. The residence and nearby structures sustained varying degrees of fire damage.
A preliminary investigation conducted by the Crawfordsville Fire Department determined the fire was unintentional and likely caused by thermal runaway from a lithium-ion battery that was being charged inside the garage.
East Wabash Avenue was closed during the incident and reopened after crews cleared the scene at approximately 10 p.m.
Assisting agencies included the Crawfordsville Police Department, Montgomery County Central Communications Center, Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power, Indiana American Water Company and CenterPoint Energy.
