Kansas House Fire Causes Nearly $1M in Damages
Source Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)
A fire that destroyed a southwest Shawnee County home Monday evening caused damages that approach $1 million in total losses because of collector items burned in the blaze, officials said Wednesday.
Fire officials haven't determined the cause of the fire, which tore through the residence at 10031 S.W. 61st St. and burned for more than three hours.
Assistant Fire Chief Scott Hunt, of the Auburn Fire Department, said the ranch-style house was a total loss. Its value, according to 2011 Shawnee County appraisal records, was $152,400.
Hunt said the contents lost to the flames will push the total dollar figure toward $1 million.
"(The owners) had some collectible weapons and collectible cars in the garage," he said.
Rose Rozmiarek, chief special agent for the Kansas State Fire Marshal's Office, said foul play isn't suspected, though the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
The origin of the fire was in the southwest portion of the garage, Rozmiarek said. The incident remains under investigation.
No injuries were reported.
Emergency responders were sent to the location about 5:20 p.m. Monday. Hunt said firefighters found the majority of the west side of the house "fully involved" in flames.
Hunt said the fuel load in the garage that helped sustain the fire, which included the vehicles and their tires etc., was a combination that couldn't be easily doused.
"It's kind of hard to stop a fire when it's got that much fire loading going that quickly before you even get out the fire door," he said.
Hunt said fire crews went back to the residence about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday to douse a few hot spots in the remains of the house.
One of the homeowners was inside the house when the blaze began, officials said, and was notified by a passerby of the fire before the flames spread to the living quarters.
Corey Jones can be reached
at (785) 295-5612
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