All of the people inside the residence at 538 Lake Ave., as well as four dogs and two cats, were unharmed, Iverson said.

The fire started about 4:30 p.m. from an electric heater placed near a cage of rabbits outside the garage, firefighters determined.

The blaze burnt the garage wall and melted the siding of a neighbor’s garage, Iverson said.

Both electric and gas companies checked the residence and deemed it safe for occupancy, Iverson said.

All three Breitung Township fire stations responded to the incident. Firefighters returned to their stations about 5:50 p.m.

Nikki Younk can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 41, or nyounk@ironmountaindailynews.com.