A man was rescued during a house fire Wednesday in Saint Clair while a garage was destroyed and nearby homes were damaged.

Firefighters from Saint Clair, Schuylkill Haven, Pottsville and Frackville responded to a fire at 4 W. Patterson St. shortly after 4 p.m.

Carl Skrobak, the first fire chief on scene with the Saint Clair Fire Department, said he saw “heavy fire in the garage” which was spreading to the home.

The garage is next to the house but belongs to 310 S. Third St.

The two-alarm fire was contained by 4:45 p.m., Saint Clair Fire Chief Frank Uhrin said.

“The garage is a total loss,” he said.

The home has “a lot of heat and smoke damage,” Uhrin said, adding the homeowner, John Lubish, who has insurance, can’t stay there.

A state police fire marshal was dispatched to the scene because of the amount of damage. In addition to 4 W. Patterson St., homes at 300, 302, 304, 306, 308 and 312 S. Second St. were damaged.

Uhrin said at least 16 people were affected.

He said the fire is under investigation.

Lubish said he was on the back porch and the man who he said was working on cutting a gas tank in the garage came running and said to call 911.

“The whole place blew up,” Lubish said of the garage.

Gerry Talamantes, a neighbor, thought Lubish would be home when he noticed smoke from the building. Along with a woman, whose name he did not know, pulled Lubish from the smoke-filled home.