A structure fire at 416 College Ave. caused an estimated $15,000 in property damage Monday evening.

The DeKalb Fire Department responded with 28 firefighters at 6:02 p.m. and had the blaze under control within 10 minutes. However, the first units on the scene encountered heavy flames on the garage’s south side, DeKalb fire Lt. Karl Froehlich said.

After an investigation, fire officials determined the cause of the fire to be children playing with a lighter, Froehlich said.

The fire damaged the garage, an automobile inside the garage, a bicycle owned by occupants David and Maria Fuerte, and a neighbor’s fence and garage.

The cable-TV connection to the home, which had stretched over the backyard, also sustained damage in the blaze.