Groton — Firefighters quickly extinguished a shed fire behind the Church of Christ on Route 12 this evening. 

At 6:16 p.m., firefighters from the Poquonnock Bridge and the Naval Submarine Base fire departments responded to reports of fire behind the church. Upon arrival, they found flames engulfing the shed, Poquonnock Bridge Chief Todd Paige said.

“We think it was caused by discarded coals from a wood stove that ignited a compost pile,” Paige said. “The fire then spread to the shed and burned up a riding lawn mower.”

The fire was under control and extinguished within about half an hour.

Paige said the fire marshal would investigate to assess the damage and determine an official cause of ignition. No one was injured, he said.