Its attached garage and a Mercedes SUV were destroyed, but fire fighters from three towns and the Navy were able to save the main section of a home at 7 Eyler Drive after being called to a two alarm fire shortly before 9 p.m. Tuesday. Portsmouth Fire Chief Michael Cranston said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation by his department and the state fire marshal’s office. But it appears to have started in the garage, he said.

“We had a lot of fire on arrival,” the chief said. “The guys did a great job stopping it.”

Efforts were complicated by the SUV, which was originally in the garage but was pulled out to give firefighters better access to the garage.

Fire fighters from Portsmouth, Middletown, Bristol and the Navy base combined to fight the fire, and Chief Cranson said it took about 45 minutes to contain the blaze. Though the main portion of the house was saved, it is not currently habitable and the Red Cross responded after the fire to help the homeowners find lodging.