The Manhattan Fire Department has issued a release confirming that the fire that occurred in an Aggieville building at 700 North Manhattan Avenue has been ruled accidental by fire investigators due to self-heating of floor finishing materials. Fire investigators from the Manhattan Fire Department and Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal conducted the origin and cause investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Damage estimates for the building, which formerly housed the Dusty Bookshelf business, has been listed at $550,000 for the structure and $123,000 for the contents. The damage estimate for nearby Varsity Donuts at 704 North Manhattan Avenue has been listed at $10,000 to the structure and $75,000 to the contents, and to Thread at 1224 Moro Street at $4,000 for the building and $60,000 to the contents. The total loss for all three structures and the contents was estimated at $822,000.

The former Dusty Bookshelf building was vacant at the time of the blaze, and was being renovated for another store.

No one was injured in the fire.