Lafayette - Lafayette firefighters responded to a house fire in the 200 block of Timber Creek Drive at 4:22pm.
The fire was reported by a neighbor who noticed smoke coming from the rear of the single-family dwelling.
When firefighters arrived on scene, flames were coming through the roof of the dwelling.
Suppression crews quickly gained access to the attic and controlled the spread of the fire. The roof and attic near the patio sustained heavy fire damage. The interior of the dwelling endured moderate water damage.
The homeowner was not home at the time of the fire. However, she had 5 cats, all survived.
Fire officials determined the fire originated under the patio. A power strip was mounted on the exterior wall with numerous items plugged in.
The power strip shorted out causing combustible material to ignite. The cause of the fire was ruled an accident.
Homeowners should use caution when plugging multiple items in a power strip. It could cause overloading and create a fire hazard.
