Firefighters who arrived around 9:25 a.m. found flames burning the inside and outside of a garage at 1414 Tuliptree Road, Battalion Chief Mark Basque said.
The fire burned through a wood fence between 1414 and 1418 Tuliptree Road and caused 5-gallon propane tanks between the residences that were exposed to the extreme heat to explode, Basque said.
Lawn mowers and gas cans between the fences of the two residences also were destroyed, Basque said.
The fire also reached the garage at 1418 Tuliptree Road prompting a second alarm.
The resident at 1414 Tuliptree Road evacuated before the fire department arrived, and the residents next door were not at home at the time of the fire but arrived after the fire was under control, Basque said.
A small dog was found safe in a backyard and returned to the residents.
The fire caused very serious damage to the interior and exterior of the garage and personal belongings at 1414 Tuliptree Road, Basque said.
The blaze caused moderate damage to the exterior of the garage at 1418 Tuliptree Road but the interior of the house was not affected, Basque said.
PG&E responded to secure gas meters and electrical panels that were damaged by the flames, Basque said. The fire left both homes uninhabitable and the Red Cross responded to find shelters and supplies for the occupants.
The fire caused damage estimated at $300,000 and the cause is under investigation, Basque said.
