Fire damages Fayetteville home Sunday

An electrical malfunction is believed to have started a fire Sunday that heavily damaged a house at 981 Wayside Road.

The fire was reported at 6:30 p.m., said Scott Iverson, a battalion commander with the Fayetteville Fire Department.

The occupant, whose name was not given, told firefighters she heard a popping noise she thought was ice, Iverson said. Minutes later, she discovered the one-story brick home was on fire.

Iverson was the first to arrive and he found flames shooting 50 feet in the air with part of the roof fully involved in fire, he said.

It took firefighters about 10 minutes to get the flames under control, Iverson said.

The fire is believed to have started in a utility room, he said.

Damage was estimated at $60,000.

The Red Cross is assisting the homeowner, who got out of the burning house safely, Iverson said.