Columbus Firefighters battled an early morning fire in an empty rental home in the 1500 block of Union Street on Monday. Capt. Mike Wilson, department spokesman, says that firefighters were called to 1528 Union Street just after 5 a.m. after a passerby saw smoke coming from the home. When Firefighters arrived on the scene they found smoke pushing out of windows. Unsure if there was anyone inside, Wilson says that firefighters breached the front door to do a search. He says the firefighters met intense smoke, heat and flames in the kitchen and an adjacent bathroom. The fire was extinguished “within minutes,” said Wilson.

Columbus Fire Department investigators learned that the home has been vacant for two weeks while the residence was being treated for bedbugs. They say the tenants have been staying in a hotel at the time of the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damages are estimated at $40,000. No injuries were reported.