SOUTH PORTLAND — Wednesday’s snowstorm slowed the response to a South Portland garage fire, which destroyed the building and a brand new car inside it.

Firefighters received a call at noon for a fire burning in a garage at 26 Elderberry Drive. The residents, members of the Reali family which owns Amato’s, were having lunch when they heard a crackling noise coming from the garage, said South Portland Fire Chief Ken Guimond.

Heavy snow and driving wind forced the responding engines to drive slowly – 30 to 35 mph – Guimond said. Because of that, a Scarborough crew – which was already on its truck when the call came in – was the first to arrive at the house, located in the Outer Highland Avenue area, he said.

The snow also made it hard for firefighters to find the nearest hydrant but one of them recalled the general area where a hydrant was located and they were able to find it and quickly shovel it out, Guimond said.

Firefighters also had to make their way around the house through deep snow drifts.

Firefighters prevented the fire from destroying the attached house, but the garage collapsed and a Chevrolet Equinox sport utility vehicle purchased six weeks ago was destroyed.

The fire started in the area of an electric stove in the garage where one of the residents had tossed a cardboard box shortly before the fire started, Guimond said. Investigators suspect that the box may have accidentally turned on the stove, he said.