A firefighter breaks through a side roof as crews work the scene of a house fire in the 800 block of Alabama Street on Tuesday night.

Investigators have determined the cause of Tuesday night’s house fire that left one Lawrence family homeless and one of their cats dead was improperly extinguished smoking materials.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief James King said the fire was reported in the 800 block of Alabama Street at 9:24 p.m. It was not fully extinguished until 12:31 a.m. Wednesday, he said.

Two of the home’s three residents were home at the time of the fire, King said. They were able to escape the fire uninjured with two of their dogs and one of their cats, he said. Another cat was later found dead in the home.

Damage to the home is estimated to be $90,000, King said, and the building is now considered uninhabitable.

The fire spread easily throughout the house, which was built using an outdated technique called “balloon framing,” King said.

“In a balloon house, fire from the basement could extend across and come to the floor or into the attic in minutes because they’re all connected,” he said. “They’re very difficult to extinguish.”

King said house fires are more common during the winter months, but fires caused by improperly extinguished smoking materials happen throughout the year.

Smokers should keep good extinguishing materials, like sand, on hand at all times, King said. Those materials are best kept in a container with a wide base, to prevent them from tipping over, he said.

Another house fire was reported in the Kanwaka Township early Monday morning, King said, although the cause of that fire has yet to be determined.

The occupants of that home were able to escape the fire uninjured; however, a cat was found dead after the flames were extinguished.

Damage to that home is estimated to be $180,000.