Home on State Road J burns in fire

A home on State Road J between Guthrie and Millersburg was lost to fire Monday afternoon.

New Bloomfield Fire Protection District Chief Travis Bell told the Fulton Sun that his department received a call at around 3:15 p.m. from a resident that their neighboring home was ablaze.

Upon arrival, New Bloomfield firefighters found the structure "completely involved." Bell said the building had collapsed in on itself.

With mutual aid from the Millersburg and Central Callaway fire protection districts, about 20 firefighters, three engines and five tanks of water, the fire was brought under control in 45 minutes and extinguished within an hour and a half.

Bell said the home was a total loss with damages estimated at about $100,000. The family was not home at the time and no one was reported injured.

Bell said the cause of the fire was not suspicious and appears to be electrical in nature. He also reminded residents that it is Fire Prevention Week, and advised area residents to check their smoke detectors monthly and change their batteries twice a year.