There were no injuries in a Thursday morning blaze that destroyed a Bismarck storage shed.

Firefighters were called to the small detached shed located behind a 2403 N. Fourth St. duplex at about 12:30 a.m., Bismarck Assistant Fire Chief Kermit Schaefer said. They arrived to find the structure that Gene Keller, 82, used for his woodworking hobby totally engulfed in flames.

Fire crews doused the fire in minutes and spent the next few hours making sure the fire wouldn't rekindle, Schaefer said. Estimated damage to the shed and its contents was about $4,000. There were power tools and hardwood benches inside.

Investigators suspect one of several space heaters Keller kept running inside the storage shed caused the fire. Fire officials aren't planning any further investigation because the fire appears to have been accidental.

Schaefer recommends that people make sure their space heaters are a safe distance from combustible materials and flammable gases. He also said it's not a good idea to leave a heater unattended.

"It's important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when using space heaters," Schaefer said. "They're all different and they all have their own recommendations."

(Reach reporter Mike Albrecht at 250-8261 or cops@ndonline.com.)