Fire burns garage in St. Petersburg house

ST. PETERSBURG -- St. Petersburg firefighters battled a stubborn blaze in a house in Lakewood Estates tonight.

The fire started at 2830 Desoto Way S about 8:40 p.m. The owner of the house, Don Mason, told investigators that he was replacing the fuel filter on a 1973 Volkswagon van when it caught on fire. Mason tried to push the van out of the garage but couldn't, said spokesman Lt. Joel Granata of St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue. The fire spread to the garage as he called 911.

When firefighters arrived, the front of the house was engulfed in flames, Granata said. Even worse, the Volkswagon's engine contained a magnesium block, which burns too hot to be extinguished with water. Firefighters called a hazardous materials team, which used a foam chemical to put out the fire in the van.

Paramedics treated one firefighter for minor injuries. Fire officials estimated the damage at about $40,000, mostly limited to the garage. The fire is under investigation.

--Stephanie Garry, Times Staff Writer