BARBEE LAKE - Fire destroyed a house and garage and damaged a second house on North Barbee Road Wednesday night.
North Webster Fire Chief Jeremy Likens said the fire broke out around 11:15 p.m. at a garage owned by Mike Israel, of 3733 N. Barbee Road.
A neighbor, Sherry Bickel, of 3723 N. Barbee Road, heard fireworks exploding near her home and went outside to investigate, Likens said.
She saw Israel's garage burning and went back inside her home to evacuate her mother.
Bickel then went to Israel's house, woke him and got him out of the house.
By the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to both Bickel's and Israel's houses.
Likens said Israel's house and garage were destroyed in the fire. Bickel's house sustained fire damage to the roof and attic and smoke and water damage to the rest of the house.
There was significant fireworks activity in the area prior to the blaze, but Likens said the cause remains under investigation.
The fire on the garge started high up on the side or roof, he said.
Firefighters had difficulty drawing water from the lake to fight the blaze, Likens said.
Low water levels and weeds hampered efforts to pump water.
Likens' department had full assistance from Pierceton and Leesburg fire departments and manpower assistance from Syracuse.
Approxamately 50 firefightes were on the scene until almost 3 a.m. today.
Damage estimates were unavailable at press time. There were no injuries.
