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An East Horner Street residence was declared a total loss due to a fire on Monday, according to the Atmore Fire Department.

Chief Ronald Peebles said the department was called to the fire at 3:09 p.m.

Peebles said the cause of the fire was an electrical short in a stove in the kitchen.

The chief said the kitchen was destroyed, and the fire was hot enough that it melted anything nearby.

Peebles said Red Cross was called to the scene to help out the family.

Peebles said the house’s residents were not in the house at the time of the fire. The owner was out of town working, and her daughter was over at a cousin’s house.

AFD requested aid from Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department and the Poarch Fire Department.

Peebles said the AFD cleared the scene at 5 p.m., but at approximately 6:15 p.m., the fire started back up.

Peebles said an ember blew into the house’s insulation and it smoldered for a while, adding that the AFD soaked the house making sure the fire was out.