Firefighters from Griswold were called to the scene of a house fire southwest of there early Sunday morning. Dispatch reports indicated the residence at 69191 540th Street was fully engulfed in flames just after 2-a.m.  Authorities said the home, which was owned by Orlan Cain, was believed to have been unoccupied, and had been the target of recent thefts.

A neighboring residence was safely evacuated as a precaution. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with the State Fire Marshal’s Office called to assist in determining a cause. Firefighters were on the scene for a little more than two and one-half hours. They returned late Sunday night after authorities were notified about a gas leak, which was initially termed a “very dangerous situation” by Mid American Energy crews on the scene. Authorities were told an evacuation of nearby homes was necessary shortly after the call was received at around 8:45-p.m., but that turned out not to be the case.