Smoldering embers spark Wheaton fire

Smoldering embers from fireplace debris caused a Sunday afternoon fire that heavily damaged a detached garage and a nearby shed in Wheaton, authorities said Monday.

Crews from the Wheaton Fire Department responded about 5:20 p.m. to the 900 block of South Gables Boulevard. When they arrived, the firefighters found flames at the rear of the garage already had spread to the adjoining shed.

The fire was brought under control within several minutes, officials said. No one was injured.

Investigators determined the fire was an accident, the result of smoldering embers from fireplace debris being disposed of near the garage, officials said.

Damage estimates were unavailable. The garage was deemed uninhabitable by a building inspector, authorities said. The siding of a neighboring garage was damaged by the heat the fire generated.