A fire heavily damaged a house at 112 Slatestone Road on Thursday afternoon.

Washington Fire-Rescue-EMS firefighters and firefighters with Bunyan Volunteer Fire Department battled the blaze, according to city fire officials. Heavy smoke was coming from the house when firefighters arrived, with that smoke emanating from along the house’s roofline. Firefighters opened a door to ventilate the house, attacked the flames and, later, cut into the roof to further ventilate the house.

Washington fire Chief Robbie Rose said the fire originated in the kitchen near the stove top, but the exact cause of the fire had not been determined as of Friday afternoon.

The house’s kitchen was severely damaged by the fire.

Harry Wilkinson, owner of the house, and his family were not at home when the fire started. The house had been vacant since about 8 a.m. Thursday. Rose said Wilkinson indicated no cooking occurred at the house Thursday morning.