No cause determined yet in Conte house fire

Fire investigators are still trying to determine what caused a home being built on Conte Drive to go up in flames last week.

"We have sent some things off for testing, but that takes a while," said Fire Chief Stacey Giomi, who would not say whether investigators were looking into arson as the cause. "We are still investigating this, wherever it takes us."

The three-story structure in southeast Carson City was fully engulfed when neighbors reported the fire at 12:28 a.m. on Aug. 11.

Battalion Chief Richard Chzranowski said the structure consisted of only Styrofoam-encased concrete blocks and a wooden roof and floors. No gas or electricity had been connected yet to the property owned by Richard Gunkel. The property was surrounded by a chainlink fence.

There were also no windows or doors on the home's frame, which when complete was supposed to be 7,200 square feet. All other construction on the home was steel.

Giomi said the Styrofoam-encased blocks were partly to blame for the building burning so quickly. The blocks were put in place for the pouring of the concrete in an effort to fireproof the building.