By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion, Florence, and Hillsboro firefighters responded to a burning garage at 126 E. Forest St. late Monday and fought the fire into early Tuesday morning.

The garage was used as a machine shop. At 9 a.m. partial walls were all that remained. Metal siding on the west side of the house was partially melted from the heat of the fire.

Appraiser’s records list the property as belonging to Donald Wilson.

Marion fire chief Chris Killough said firefighters were summoned at 11:58 p.m. Monday. They had the fire out and returned to the firehouse a couple minutes before 3 a.m.

Five Marion and five Florence firefighters battled the fire until just before 3 a.m., he said.

Florence and Hillsboro firefighters voluntarily came to assist, Killough said.

Marion firefighters told Hillsboro firefighters they had the blaze under control when they were close to the scene.

Killough said his guess was the origin of the fire was electrical, and he said he was “pretty sure” the explosions firefighters heard during the blaze were propane cylinders.

Fire marshal Chris Mercer said the fire remains under investigation.

“At this time there’s no reason to believe it’s suspicious,” Mercer said.

Mercer said since the garage was used as a machine shop, flammable items including propane tanks were kept there. The explosions firefighters heard also might have been firearm ammunition, he surmised.

Mercer said a female was at the residence when the fire got started and was able to get out of the house.