Fire damages garage, house in downtown Clovis

Clovis firefighters extinguished a fire in a garage that extended into a house Thursday afternoon in downtown Clovis.

The fire, near First Street and Pollasky Avenue, was punctuated by explosions from the 800-square-foot garage where oxygen, propane and acetylene tanks were stored, said Chief Mike Despain.

The explosions forced firefighters to back away from the fire while battling it, he said.

Initial calls indicated someone was trapped in the fire, but a search found nobody inside.

The fire extended slightly into an 1,800-square-foot house separated from the garage by a breezeway, Despain said.

The fire was reported at 5:13 p.m. and was under control within 20 minutes, he said.

There is no estimate of losses and the cause is not yet known.

By Marc Benjamin