Originally published in The Gowanda News on Friday, Jan. 4, 2013.

Flames engulfed a garage at 2179 Richardson Road in Collins on Tuesday, destroying its second story.

At approximately 1:15 p.m., the Collins Volunteer Fire Department received a call reporting smoke coming from the garage’s second story, said Chief Dave North.

Nobody was inside, North said.

Collins Center, Lawtons and Cattaraugus Indian Reservation fire departments responded to aid Collins, said North.

The cause of the fire is undetermined, “But we do believe it was a wood stove the owner had upstairs in his garage,” said North.

Winter’s Rigging of North Collins tore out the second story because of the safety factor, said North.

“It was a simple and easy fire, actually,” North said. “No injuries, nothing like that.”