A fire that damaged a home on Youngs Road Monday night appears to have been caused by a faulty light ballast in the garage, according to a preliminary report by Southern Pines fire investigators.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. Monday, firefighters from Southern Pines, Cypress Pointe and Aberdeen responded to 3412 Youngs Road. When they arrived the fire had already taken a firm hold.

“You could see it (fire) from a mile or so out,” said Southern Pines Fire Chief Hampton Williams. “By the time we arrived the fire had extended through the roof.”

He said the homeowner was inside the house having dinner with a friend when the smoke alarms sounded.

“They had lit a fire in the fireplace and when they heard the smoke alarm go off the first time they thought it was from blow back from the fireplace,” Williams said. “When it went off a second time they investigated and found the fire in the garage and then called 911.”

No one was hurt in the blaze.

Fire damaged the roof and the home also sustained smoke damage. Williams estimated the total damage to be “a couple hundred thousand dollars.” He said firefighters saved about 98 percent of the homeowner’s belongings and keepsakes.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.