The center of Garretson was filled with smoke and onlookers as two homes burned Thursday afternoon.

Garretson Fire Chief Mark Rozeboom said crews arrived at 604 N. Center Avenue around 4 p.m. to find the house fully engulfed.

They immediately focused their efforts on a house directly to the south that had caught fire as well, sending a crew inside to do what they could to stop the spread of the fire.

Unfortunately, Rozeboom said, it became too dangerous, and they had to pull out. Both houses are being taken as "a complete loss," he said.

No one was injured in the fire, Rozeboom said, although he was unaware if any animals had been present in either of the homes.

As crews got the fires under control, a backhoe operator began tearing down one of the houses, exposing fires still burning inside the walls and roof.

Firefighters salvaged what they could, pulling plastic storage containers filled with Christmas ornaments out of the rubble — and managing to secure a wedding ring from a medicine cabinet, Rozeboom said.

Citizens and local businesses brought water, food and at least a dozen pizzas to keep firefighters energized throughout the ordeal, and Brandon and Valley Spring fire crews responded to assist.

Rozeboom said the cause of the fire is unclear at this time.