MINDEN - A two-alarm fire claimed the garage of an Indian Hills home at 866 Auburn Court Monday morning.
Firefighters from the East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts and Carson City converged on the fire, first reported at 7:58 a.m. It was knocked down by 8:23 a.m. Firefighters from Johnson Lane, Genoa and Minden also responded to the fire.
Resident Neil Powers said he and his wife Marian had lived in the home for more than 20 years.
Powers said he had lit a match to try to read his sprinkler system controller, then disposed of it in the garbage after he put it out.
"I thought I put it all the way out," he said.
When he got into the house, he saw smoke and tried to call the fire department, but the phone wasn't working. Marian Powers was still in bed when the fire started.
East Fork fire investigator Terry Taylor said the estimate of damage to the home and contents was $125,000.
Taylor said Powers used to be with Prison Ministries at the medium and maximum security prisons in Carson City. The couple was put up in a hotel on Monday night by the American Red Cross.