A fire that began in a detached garage in central Abilene early Thursday spread to the nearby house before being extinguished by firefighters, the Abilene Fire Department said.
When firefighters arrived just before 2 a.m. at the residence in the 700 block of Chestnut Street, flames had fully engulfed the garage and began to ignite the exterior of the vacant house, according to an AFD news release.
"Fire crews were able to extinguish the fire and prevent further damage to the house," the news release said.
There was about $5,000 in damages, and the cause is under investigation, AFD said.