Intense early-morning Saskatoon house fire had trapped one evacuee in the backyard

(Courtesy: Saskatoon Fire Department)

Firefighters say a major blaze that totalled a Saskatoon home early Sunday morning likely started in an attached garage.

The Saskatoon Fire Department said crews found the home fully involved when they arrived around 1:19 a.m.

According to a fire department news release, one occupant of the home was stuck in the backyard when they arrived and crews were “unable to enter rear of property due to extent of fire.”

They were later successfully evacuated to the front of the property, the fire department says.

Police told the arriving firefighters there were no occupants were inside the burning building.

The blaze was under control just before 2 a.m., and it took about another hour to completely extinguish, the news release says.

Investigators couldn’t enter the structure after the blaze because it was too unstable, but they believe it started in the garage.

There were no injuries from the fire, and damage is estimated at $450,000.

Police investigators are continuing to investigate the cause, which is still undetermined.