MOUNT VERNON — A fire that started in a duplex’s garage on South 22nd Place sent up a column of smoke today that could be seen from Burlington.

The blaze destroyed the garage and its contents — including books, children’s school papers and occupant Robert Bellus’ mother’s “good china.” Firefighters say no one was hurt in the fire, which caused smoke damage throughout Bellus’ side of the duplex.

The family’s 10 pets — eight cats, a dog and a hamster — also were fine, Bellus said.

Bellus said that he was away from home when the fire was discovered about 12:05 p.m. A neighbor saw smoke pouring from the garage and called 911, he said.

“I was driving home and came around the corner and saw fire trucks,” Bellus said. That’s when he realized it was his home that was burning, he said.

Bellus said his 16-year-old daughter was home at the time, and when she opened the door to the garage, the flames flared up and singed her hair.

She was taken to Skagit Valley Hospital, where she was treated and released, said Erica Work, Mount Vernon Fire Department spokeswoman.

Firefighters from all three of the city’s fire stations and from the Burlington and McLean Road fire departments were sent to the blaze, Work said. Firefighters from Clear Lake and Burlington covered the rest of the city during the half-hour it took to extinguish the fire.

“We could see the column of smoke from Burlington,” said Work, who was in the neighboring city at the time.

Mount Vernon Fire Capt. Steve Riggs said the cause of the fire has not been determined. Possible causes include wiring in the garage for outlets or the garage door opener, or an improperly extinguished cigarette, he said.

The cost of the damage was estimated at $50,000, including repairing a neighbor’s ceiling, which firefighters had to damage to check for hot spots, Work said.

Eyeing the burnt contents of his garage, Bellus said he’d been meaning to clean it out. He said he wished he had purchased renter’s insurance, but he’s grateful that his family and pets weren’t hurt.

“It’s nothing but stuff,” he said.

* Marta Murvosh can be reached at 360-416-2149 or mmurvosh@skagitpublishing.com.