Firefighters responded to a 10:32 a.m. alarm Tuesday for a garage on fire at 73-1108 Kaiminani Drive in Kona. Upon arrival firefighters found that neighbors had extinguished the fire with garden hoses. Approximately seven people living in the nearby two-family house were safely evacuated. Firefighters checked the garage for any additional fire spread and cleared it of smoke.

The garage suffered smoke and water damage with the loss estimated at $15,000 to the contents. The cause was reported to possibly be a cigarette.