Fire damage estimated at $75,000

MINDEN - A Monday night fire in a Johnson Lane home almost destroyed the residence, which will cost about $75,000 to repair, fire investigators said Tuesday.

The cause of the blaze, which broke out about 9 p.m. at 1579 Downs Drive, has been determined to be construction-related. The removal of a wood stove insert in a chimney caused damage to the structural integrity of the chimney, said Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Steve Eisele.

"Some construction work took away the fire protection," he said. "It would be hard to determine when this (construction) happened."

A man and woman noticed smoke coming out of the wall, Eisele said. They called the fire department and removed as many of their belongings as they could before they were forced to leave. They rent the home, and their names weren't available.

"The fire spread through the attic of the east side of the building," he said. The single-family dwelling was about 1,700 square feet.

Beverly Johnson, of Beverly Realty in Gardnerville, said the home is expected to be repaired. She said insurance adjusters were expected to be at the home Tuesday, and repairs begun immediately.

"There was a lot of smoke damage, as well as fire damage to the roof," she said.

The Red Cross assisted the family with temporary housing.