FIRE CLAIMS UNOCCUPIED BENTON HOME

BENTON -- Fire gutted an unoccupied house in Benton Thursday night, causing no injuries, said a spokesman for the Scott County Sheriff's Department.

The owner of the home, located at the corner of Missouri and Chester streets, was not available Thursday night, the spokesman said. The fire was reported by a neighbor at 8:44 p.m. and burned for about an hour, he said, before it was extinguished by firefighters with the NBC Fire District.

Fire officials did not know the cause of the blaze Thursday night, said the spokesman.