Crews from the Missoula Fire department responded to a structure fire early Friday morning at a business near the corner of South Avenue and Russell Street.Fire Chief Jeff Brandt said the fire was reported at Far Side Signs.

He said a caller reported a tree on fire next to a structure. When crews arrived, they found a fire coming out of the basement of the building. The fire was extending up the outside of the building and into the trees beside the business.

Brandt said the fire had already extended out of the basement and into the adjoining garage area.

Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire and conduct a primary search of the building where they found that the two residents who were living in the basement had made it out safely, with the exception of a minor injury to one of the men.

15 firefighters, four engines and one ladder truck were dispatched to the scene. Damage was estimated to about $175,000.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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