A wiring problem is to blame for a house fire Tuesday morning at 1318 S. Fifth St.

Ironton Fire Chief Tom Runyon said the homeowner, Paul Stambaugh, spotted the fire and alerted the fire department.

“He had just left for work and as he was driving away he saw smoke from a chimney that shouldn’t have been smoking,” Runyon said. “There was heavy smoke coming from the attic on our arrival.”

Runyon said as far as he knew no one was in the home at the time of the fire. The house sustained moderate damage to the attic, siding and wiring.