A fire badly damaged a central Salina home late Wednesday afternoon.

First responders were called at around 4:45 to the report of a residential fire at a home in the Indian Village area. They discovered a home at 1520 Cheyenne on fire.

Salina Fire Department Investigator Troy Long told KSAL News at the scene that the first crews on scene encountered smoke, and flames visible, coming from a side window and from the back of the house. All three occupants were able to exit safely.

Firefighters were able to quickly get the fire under control.

Long says that the fire started in a northeast bedroom, where one of the residents was doing some work on a car part.

The house, a rental property, was left uninhabitable. There is structure damage, and extensive smoke damage.

Long adds that the fire serves as a reminder that rental insurance is a wise investment. “It’s cheap, and I highly recommend it,” he said.