Firefighters with Eastside Fire & Rescue, and mutual aid units from the city of Bellevue responded to a house fire in the 18200 block of SE 43rd Court at approximately 5:50 p.m. on March 3.

Upon arrival of the scene, smoke and flames were visible from the street. Firefighters quickly worked to protect the nearby exposures and extinguish the garage fire that had extended to the house and was endangering a neighbor’s home.

The homeowner was in the house with a family member when the fire began in the garage. He reported that he was running a generator due to the power outage in the neighborhood when the generator caught fire.

Both occupants evacuated the home safely, but one did suffer a minor injury and was treated at the scene by firefighters. The patient sought further medical care at a local medical facility in Issaquah.

Damages are estimated at $350,000 for the structure. The cause of the fire was determined to be associated with the portable power generator that was operating in the garage at the time of the incident.

Fire officials say this is a reminder that powered equipment, and other similar devices using gasoline, flammable liquids, or an open flame, should not be operated inside a home. These types of equipment and devices can potentially start a fire or even give off dangerous fumes, resulting in carbon monoxide poisoning.

Units responding to the fire included Battalion Chief 71, Engine 72, Engine 71, L73a, Engine 81, Air Unit 81, Aid 82; and Bellevue Engine 2, Engine 8, Engine 4, and Paramedic Unit 14.