Kilkenny house fire caused by window air conditioner

Authorities say a window air conditioning unit caused a fire that damaged a Kilkenny home Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office, a 78-year-old woman reported the fire at her home on the 200 block of Laurel Avenue shortly after 3:30 p.m., saying the fire started in the front porch area of the home.

When authorities arrived, they found the inside of the front porch on fire, and flames had spread to other rooms inside the home. Fire crews were eventually able to extinguish the flames.

The sheriff’s office says the woman had plugged in and turned on an air conditioner, and then checked on it after hearing crackling coming from the unit. That’s when she found the unit, as well as the wall, were on fire.

Authorities haven’t said specifically what caused the unit to start on fire.

The woman wasn’t injured and is staying with other family members.

A damage estimate wasn’t immediately available.