The latest local news, weather and high school sports in and around Columbia and Jefferson City

COLUMBIA -- A family in Columbia was displaced after an electrical fire caused extensive damage at their home.

It happened just before 11 a.m. Thursday in the 5100 block of Hatteras Drive in north Columbia.

When firefighters got to the scene they found heavy black smoke coming from the back of the single story home, which has a walk-out basement.

While crews were trying to put the fire out, the stairs to the basement collapsed which compromised the integrity of the first floor and added an additional challenge for the fire fighters.

In all, it took fire crews about thirty minutes to get the fire under control.

Crews stayed on the scene for more than two hours extinguishing smoldering debris.

The owner of the home, Jeremy Spillman, was the only person inside when the fire happened. Two dogs also escaped the blaze.

Spillman told fire investigators he was outside for a few minutes and when he attempted to go back in the house, it was filled with thick smoke.

Spillman was able to get his two dogs out of the house and called 9-1-1 from his cell phone.

Columbia Fire Department Fire Investigator Lt. Shawn McCollom determined the fire started in the basement and was electrical in nature.

Lt. McCollom estimated the total amount of damage was about $200,000 for the structure and contents.

While there were no injuries, the family's pet bird did not survive.

Spillman told investigators that his family would stay with relatives in Columbia. 

Six Columbia Fire Department units and one Boone County Fire District engine responded to the fire.