Investigators say the cause of a fatal house fire on Pennsylvania Street last spring remains undetermined.

The fire was reported at 2:49 p.m. on March 31 in a single-story home at 923 Pennsylvania St., said Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief James King.

On the scene emergency responders found 61-year-old Joe Dotson partially inside the home, King said. He was pulled away from the fire, but was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

No other injuries were reported in the fire, and the damage to the home was estimated to be $4,500, said Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical Division Chief Eve Tolefree.

Now, five months after the fatal fire, King said the incident is still considered an open investigation, but “pending the case being brought to a close this fire will be classified as undetermined.”

King said fires can be classified in four ways:

• Incendiary – A fire set intentionally by someone.

• Accidental – A fire set by someone, but without intent.

• Natural – A fire caused by wind, rain, flood and other acts of nature.

• Undetermined – A fire which “cannot be proven to an acceptable level of certainty.”

Undetermined fires, especially those involving a death, may remain open investigations for years, King said.

King could not say whether investigators have ruled out foul play as a cause.

“As part of the ongoing investigation we are trying to eliminate all possibilities,” he said.

I report on crime and courts for the Journal-World. I can be reached by email at cswanson@ljworld.com, by phone at (785) 832-7284 or on Twitter @Conrad_Swanson.