Fire damages vacant house in west-central Topeka

A fire that appeared intentionally set did an estimated $22,000 damage Tuesday at a vacant house in west-central Topeka, authorities said. No one was hurt.

Topeka firefighters were called just after 11 a.m. to 1110 S.W. Woodward Ave., where they arrived to find heavy fire and smoke coming from a single-story, wood frame house, said Topeka Fire Marshal Todd Harrison.

Woodward runs north and south and is located two blocks east of S.W. MacVicar Avenue.

Firefighters began an offensive attack and quickly put out the blaze while confining it to that house, Harrison said.

Damages were estimated at $20,000 to the structure and $2,000 to its contents, he said.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office concluded the blaze had been intentionally set, Harrison said. That office was continuing to investigate.

Working smoke detectors were not found in the house, Harrison said.

He said firefighters were assisted by the fire marshal’s office, Topeka police, Evergy, Kansas Gas Service and an American Medical Response ambulance crew.

Shawnee County Appraiser’s Office records show that ILP, LLC, owns the property at 1110 S.W. Woodward, which had an appraised value of $30,680.

The house there was built in 1935, according to those records.