Cause of $170,000 Summit County home fire under investigation

North Summit Fire officials and the State Fire Marshal's Office were trying Wednesday to determine the cause of a fire that heavily damaged an unoccupied home in Tollgate Canyon.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office said the Tuesday afternoon blaze at 2063 Valley Vista Drive caused an estimated $170,000 in damage.

KUTV News reported that firefighting efforts were hampered by difficulty in gaining access to water supplies. Crews had to dig out a fire hydrant buried in the snow before they were able to contain the blaze to three bedrooms in the residence.

The cause was undetermined, though it appeared the fire had begun in the basement.

The homeowners were out of the country at the time of the fire, authorities said.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims