North Sacramento fire burns garage, downs power line and allegedly starts a fistfight

Firefighters were delayed in fighting a North Sacramento blaze early Monday due to a downed electrical line — and a nearby fistfight.

Sacramento Fire Department received a call about a residential structure fire on El Camino Avenue near Fairfield Street. When responders arrived, the detached garage of a home was “well involved in fire,” Capt. Keith Wade said.

The fire caused an electrical line to detach from the structure, leaving it dangling and a hazard to firefighters.

The first unit to respond was delayed, “because those drop lines can kill you,” Wade said.

A fistfight broke out near the residence where the fire ignited, allegedly in connection to the fire, Wade said.

Police response was requested by fire department personnel at 2:40 a.m. in response to the fight.

Two people were involved and at least one suffered non-life0threatening injuries, Sacramento Police Department spokesman Eddie Macaulay said.

One person was arrested and police are still investigating whether the fight was related to the fire, Macaulay said.

A total of five fire units were dispatched, and firefighting efforts lasted approximately 30 minutes, according to Wade.

The detached garage was completely destroyed, and a breezeway connecting it to the main residence was severely damaged, the Fire Department reported.

The home itself was not damaged. The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation, Wade said.