SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities say a wood burning stove caused a Kansas house fire.
Just after 8p.m. Friday, fire crews responded to the fire in a home at 1603 SW Western Avenue in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.
As they arrived, crews found smoke and flames coming from the first and second floor windows of a 2-story house. A search of the structure revealed no occupants inside. All occupants were able to escape.
A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as Accidental, associated with the malfunction of a wood burning stove. The estimated dollar loss – $18,000; $15,000 of which is associated with structural loss, and $3,000 is associated with contents loss.
Investigators did not find working smoke detectors in the home, according to Harrison.