The Chillicothe Fire Department is investigating the cause of a vacant house fire Monday morning.

“We think it was electrical,” said Darrell Wright, Fire Chief with the Chillicothe Fire Department.

Crews responded around 5:30 a.m. to an unoccupied home located in the 1600 block of 3rd St.

Wright said when firefighters arrived they found flames extending through the east side of the roof.  Firelighters entered through a second story window to extinguish the fire.

Wright said there was no one in the home at the time however power was connected.

“We can’t 100% say that it wasn’t lightning,” Wright said. “lightning has hit that house before.  We’ve been to that house a few times.”

Damage to the home is estimated at around $30,000.

“There was extensive fire damage to the roof and water and smoke damage throughout the entire structure,” Wright said.

He said the homeowners live in Virginia and that there were no contents in the house.