City of Gaffney firefighters had this fire at 102 Spruce St. under control within about 10 minutes but spent about a full hour extinguishing all the hot spots. The fire displaced two renters and caused such extensive damage the home was deemed a total loss. (Ledger photo / TIM GULLA) The Cherokee County Fire Investigation Team determined a Monday morning fire on Spruce Street was caused by a faulty electrical insulator in a home’s old knob-and-tube wiring system.

According to Gaffney Fire Chief Nathan Ellis, the fire at 102 Spruce St. was spotted by Gaffney Police Officer Mike Scruggs, who noticed smoke while patrolling in the area.

Arriving firefighters found fire venting from the eaves of the house and made an immediate interior attack. Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes, but Ellis said firefighting efforts continued for about an hour because of flames in the attic.

The home sustained extensive fire damage in the kitchen and attic, as well as extensive heat, smoke and water damage throughout the remainder, Ellis said. An insurer deemed the structure a total loss, the chief said.

Ellis, a member of the recently formed Cherokee County Fire Investigation Team, called for the team of investigators to help determine the cause and origin of the fire.

“Any time we’re going to have a substantial fire and the homeowner is going to be displaced, I’m going to lean on the fire investigation team a little more often,” said Ellis, an already experienced fire investigator.

“We can use the resources and share our knowledge,” he added.

Six members of the team examined practically every square inch of the building and the team spent at least three hours there.

“It was very thorough,” Ellis said, “digging all the way down to the floor area, and going underneath the home to rule out the gas supply. We eliminated every (possible) cause we could think of.”

The fire investigation team members ultimately determined the area of origin was above the ceiling in the home’s kitchen and the cause was linked to a faulty insulator in the home’s old knob-and-tube wiring system.

This was the fourth fire in Cherokee County investigated by the recently formed team of volunteers.

Among the members who responded to the investigation were: Goucher-White Plains Fire Chief Jimmy Lamb, Blacksburg Fire Chief and Gaffney engineer/driver Cline Gore, Grassy Pond and Gaffney firefighter Matt Davis, and Gaffney Fire Training Officer Scott Coleman.

The team’s services are being made available to any fire chief in Cherokee County who requests an investigation.

Ellis said the home was owned by Earby Cash and was being rented to two women, Nicole Gibson and Alisha Queen-Allen.

No one was home at the time of the fire and there were no injuries reported.

The contents of the home were extensively damaged, Ellis said.

The American Red Cross of Cherokee County came to the scene to offer assistance.

All three Gaffney fire stations — headquarters, Overbrook and East Gaffney — fought the blaze.