An abandoned house was extensively damaged by an early-morning fire in Ithaca Saturday.
The Ithaca Fire Department was dispatched to the area of North Plain and Esty streets shortly after 5 a.m. Tompkins County 911 received several calls from neighbors and identified the location as a single-family house in the 400 block of North Plain Street.
Firefighters arrived to find flames throughout the building. Because of the heavy fire, crews launched an aggressive exterior attack and brought the blaze under control in approximately 15 minutes.
Although the house had previously been identified as abandoned, firefighters searched the building to ensure no one was inside. No injuries were reported.
North Plain Street was closed for approximately seven hours while crews extinguished the fire and investigators worked at the scene.
The Ithaca Fire Department and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control are investigating the cause.
Off-duty Ithaca firefighters were called in to assist, while the Lansing Fire Department provided an engine crew to handle additional calls. Ithaca Police, Ithaca Fire Police, the city Building Department and NYSEG also responded.
