A series of buildings sustained extensive damage at a farm northeast of Spencer early Thursday morning. The house sustained siding damage, but can be repaired. (Photo by Russ Mitchell)

Daily Reporter Staff

The Clay County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa State Fire Marshals Office have concluded a fire investigation and listed the official cause of a structure fire north of Spencer as undetermined.

Dickens and Fostoria firefighters were called out at about 1 a.m. Thursday to a fully-engulfed building at the Bill and Lisa Elliott farm, located at 3115 240th Avenue in rural Spencer.

Elliott was blending his own bio-diesel, and some of the containers started erupting from the heat. No one was home at the time.

Other buildings nearby also caught on fire as a result of the fuel containers exploding. A double-stall garage and the north-side siding on the house were damaged. The house was saved by firefighters and can still be occupied by the family.

"A possible cause for this fire that could not be ruled out was a spark that ignited straw," a statement from Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow said. "The owner had been cutting out old steel vacuum tubes and cattle holding brackets in this old dairy type barn prior to the fire. This may have caused a spark to smolder in the straw for some time before igniting into open flame."

There was no insurance on the barn or the contents of the barn which included a boat, lawnmower, chickens, sheep and rabbits, miscellaneous tools and an air compressor. Another shed was destroyed by fire, as was the roof of a corn crib barn.

One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, but no other injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at over $100,000.