A structure fire in the 1300 block of Sequoia Circle in southwest Medford destroyed the garage of a home on Monday afternoon, authorities said. Several children and pets escaped the blaze without injury.

The fire west of Stewart Meadows Golf Course off of Stewart Avenue was reported at 3:42 p.m., with multiple agencies responding, according to Medford Fire Department Chief Eric Thompson. 

The garage of the home was fully involved when firefighters arrived, Thompson said. Children who live at the residence had been playing with a remote control car, and then they put the car battery on a charger and went inside, he said. An adult who was previously at the home had left to run an errand, according to Thompson.

Thompson said it’s unclear if the RC car had anything to do with the fire and that mop-up operations and an investigation would continue Monday evening.

The adult homeowner spoke to reporters on the scene but declined to give his name, but he said six of his seven kids were home at the time of the fire. The oldest of the six children helped lead the other children to safety.

A neighbor ran in to rescue the family dog, a small poodle. The family’s hamsters also got out safely.

There was significant damage to the garage and also heat, water and smoke damage to the rest of the home, Thompson said.

Medford fire responded to the blaze with three engines, a ladder truck, three chiefs and a medical squad.

The cause remains under investigation.