By Jo McMullen / KVSC reporter

A garage and home on the Chain of Lakes between Cold Spring and Richmond was damaged in a fire Tuesday afternoon.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office was called just before 1 p.m. by a homeowner. He reported that his garage had started on fire at an address on Great Northern Drive in Wakefield Township.

The Chain of Lakes Fire Department and the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office were sent to the scene and the Richmond and Cold Spring Fire Departments assisted.

When they arrived deputies found that the house was fully engulfed in flames. The homeowner, 64-year-old Tom Goebel, was still inside the home and was brought to safety at a nearby neighbor.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and authorities did not release the damage total.