Update:

The cause of a fire that destroyed a house approximately eight miles north of Junction City Saturday has been ruled accidental in nature. A more specific cause was undetermined.

That information was provided by Assistant Geary County Rural Fire Chief Curt Janke.  He reported that the house was owned by Daniel and Ashley Pettigrew. They and their three children were the residents. They were not home at the time of the fire.

A State Fire Marshal’s Office investigator was brought in to work with Geary County to help determine the cause of the blaze.

Janke noted the damage estimate was $150,000 to the house and $75,000 to the contents.  He said the fire started on the back deck on the outside of the house, accessed the house through a kitchen window just above the main fire, and then worked its’ way up into the attic. By the time firefighters arrived on scene the fire had gotten into the attic.

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Geary County rural firefighters responded to a house fire on Laurence Drive approximately eight miles north of Junction City Saturday afternoon.

The residents, whose names have not yet been released, were not injured. They were not home at the time of the blaze.

Garry Berges, Geary County Rural Fire Chief, reported that a State Fire Marshal’s office investigator was called in Saturday night to assist in investigating the cause of the fire.

Berges said firefighters got the call about 4:35 p.m. on Saturday. “First units on the scene advised heavy smoke was showing from the back side of the house, between the kitchen area and the back deck area. We made sure that there was nobody inside the residence. Able to recover one dog, came out the front door. ” Authorities were trying to locate a cat that was inside the house.

Berges said, “We received assistance from Junction City Fire / EMS with an ambulance unit for standby. And we also had Fort Riley Fire Department come. The house is considered a total loss at this time.”