Paul Busch had a lot of questions that needed answers Monday.

Busch, the assistant fire chief for Fire District 3, said a homeowner who was out of town on the weekend had some of the answers he needed to figure out why a Clinton-area garage burned Saturday.

Those questions had to wait until Busch finally got a call from the homeowner Tuesday.

Reported by a neighbor and someone driving by the 6777 Cultus Bay Road property, the 1 p.m. blaze kept firefighters busy for more that two hours. After contacting owner Kate Grossman, Busch said the fire probably was electrical in origin. However, he said, it needs further investigation.

Engulfed in flames more than 20 feet high when firefighters arrived, the garage was almost a total loss. The fire burned almost everything that could burn and left only a few parts of the garage standing. Busch estimated the loss at $15,000.

Burning about 20 feet from the house on the property, the garage fire was never a threat to any other structures. The first firefighters on the scene — Bryce Hanson, Eldon Baker and Jon Gabelein — knocked down the largest flames within minutes. However, the follow-up work was extensive. Firefighters had to cut holes in the garage’s wooden floor to track down all the smoldering remains of the blaze. The strategy worked, as the fire did not rekindle overnight.