Saskatoon police are treating a Wednesday garage fire in the 2000 block of St. Henry Avenue as suspicious.

Shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday, police and fire responded to the home for a report of the fire. Police stated they'd had a report about a man, in possession of two machetes, knocking on the back door of the home prior to the fire. The man reportedly left after a conversation with homeowner John Polson.

An arson investigator was called to the scene and the fire has since been deemed suspicious.

Polson said he thinks the man who was speaking with him prior to the blaze was the one who set the garage fire, as a small container of gas that was in his yard for the lawn mower had been moved.

Homeowner John Polson suspects a man who was at his house earlier on Wednesday used gasoline to light his garage on fire. (Morgan Modjeski/CBC)

"He could have thrown the gasoline on the back of the house just as easily," said Polson.

Polson said he initially thought the man was asking him if he wanted his backyard cleaned, but said the man was mumbling, aggravated and hard to understand.

"He didn't seem very happy and he didn't seem very happy when he left," he said.

A few minutes later, the garage was on fire.

An impression can be seen left behind from what John Polson said was a gas can. He said the gas can was moved from his backyard on Wednesday. (Morgan Modjeski/CBC)

Polson said the fire itself was a sight to see, adding he's never experienced anything like it in his life.

"It was bright yellow and probably as high as these trees — 50, 60, 70 feet high — and then, like I say, it was just like fireworks because there were just all of these sparks coming off the fire."

The scene on Wednesday afternoon following the fire was one of destruction, as a large portion of one of the garage's walls was completely destroyed and a large hole had burned through its roof.

Fire crews responded to a structure fire in the 2000 block of St. Henry Avenue on Wednesday morning. In addition to the fire, crews also encountered a large number of bees from a nearby hive. (Supplied/Saskatoon Fire Department )

Fire crews responding to the blaze also had to watch out for bees, as the garage contained pieces of beekeeping equipment and there was a live hive nearby.

Steve Brissaw, a battalion chief with the Saskatoon Fire Department, said there were no reported stings as a result of the presence of the flying insects. While hazards are common for firefighters, bees are uncommon, he said.

Still a lot of bees on site at 2001 St. Henry Avenue where crews from the Saskatoon Fire Department responded to a garage fire this morning. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yxe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yxe</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gs55U3FvHa">pic.twitter.com/Gs55U3FvHa</a> —@_MorganModjeski

Polson said he was surprised the bees survived and notes he'll now transfer them to a different colony. He expects damage as a result of the blaze to total between $30,000 and $50,000.

He said he's now working with insurance to determine if the garage will be torn down or repaired.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact city police or Crime Stoppers.