The Litchfield Fire Department responded to a house fire shortly after noon Friday on the 700 block of East Ripley Street.

The interior of house, belonging to Jodi Johnson, received considerable smoke damage, according to Litchfield Fire Chief Greg Gilbertson.

Johnson and her son were not home at the time of the fire. Gilbertson said when crews arrived flames were shooting through the roof. It took less than an hour to extinguish the fire.

Gilbertson said he is unsure what started the fire but believes it came from a bedroom in the northwest corner.

“It had probably been burning for quite awhile,” he said.

Gilbertson said the house did not receive any structural damage. It was the first house fire call of the year for the department. No one was injured.

Read more in the Jan. 10 Independent Review.

Photo courtesy of Gary Gruenke, Litchfield Police Department