Volunteer firefighters from five Jefferson County departments battled a fire that destroyed a house about five miles west of Tonganoxie early this morning.

Two residents of the home were taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, said Jay Alexander, Sarcoxie Township fire chief. They did not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

The house, in the 19000 block of 31st Street, about six miles north of Lawrence Municipal Airport, was already engulfed in flames when Sarcoxie fire crews arrived at the fire shortly after 1 a.m., Alexander said. Over the next hour, four other fire departments were called to the scene, including Rural Township, Union Township, Oskaloosa Township and Winchester Township, Alexander said. About 20 firefighters were at the scene.

The house was a total loss. The cause of the blaze appeared to be an accidental cooking-oil fire in the kitchen, Alexander said.