Back-to-back fires at Topeka home cause $80,000 in damage

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Investigators are looking into two fires within 24 hours at the same house in southwest Topeka.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka said in a press release that the Topeka Fire Department was called around 10 a.m. on Sept. 4 to a home in the 3100 block of SW 30th Terrace in Topeka regarding a house fire. Upon arrival, crews found a small fire in the basement and extinguished it quickly. Everyone evacuated the house before the TFD arrived, according to the release.

Nichols said the TFD responded to the same address around 3 a.m. on Sept. 5 for another fire. Upon arrival, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the house. An inspection revealed there were no occupants in the house.

Nichols said a TFD investigation found the fire damage to total $80,000 with $75,000 associated with structural damaged and the rest to contents loss. The fire also spread to a nearby home, forcing the two occupants to evacuate. No injuries were reported in these fires.