The fire at 710 Dakota St. was reported at 11:49 a.m.

The flames were confined to a bedroom in the back northwest corner of the one-story house.

Smoke was coming from the rear of the building when firefighters and police arrived.

“It was actually burning pretty good back in that room,” Fire Department Capt. Steve Teske said.

Firefighters used one hose line to extinguish the blaze.

Fire Chief Matt Price said no one was in the house when firefighters arrived. He said someone was seen leaving the house before the fire was reported. Investigators are trying to find and identify that individual.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The house is owned by Apex Investment Group, of Fort Dodge, according to online records of the Webster County Assessor’s Office. It was built in 1906, according to those records.