A Fort Dodge house that was severely damaged by fire Wednesday almost ignited again on Thursday.

Firefighters were called back to 1524 Fourth Ave. N. at 11:45 a.m. Thursday when a city building inspector spotted smoke coming from the eaves.

Fire Department Lt. Tom Ubben said the fire had apparently been smoldering overnight between the roof decking and the rafters. He said there was a small area of open flames, and a lot of smoldering material.

Firefighters cut a hole in the roof to get at the problem. They were on scene for about an hour.

The initial fire at the house was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. When firefighters arrived, the detached garage, the backyard, a tire in the yard and part of a tree were burning, plus a large volume of flame was coming out of the back of the two-story house. The fire spread throughout the house.

The property next door to the west also sustained some damage. A fence was destroyed, a small section of the garage was burned, and paint was blistered on the house. Also, a window cracked from the heat and a window blind melted.

Firefighters believe that initial blaze started outside the house at 1524 Fourth Ave. N. The exact cause hasn’t been determined.