ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Ohio State Fire Marshal is investigating a blaze that consumed a house on Friends Church Road west of St. Clairsville late Monday.

Cumberland Trail Fire District Assistant Chief Daniel Grady said this is standard procedure.

“We actually have the state fire marshal coming in today to investigate. Any significant fire that we get, we have them come in so they can assist us with the investigation and determine a cause if they can,” he said, adding that the investigation would begin Tuesday afternoon. “I spoke with him on my way into work. We just have them come in because they have the expertise as far as investigating and trying to locate the ignition points.”

He said he had no projected timeline on how long the investigation might take or when results might be forthcoming.

“Probably not today,” he said Tuesday. “We let the state fire marshal do the investigation and release the information to the press when they complete everything.”

Officials reported the occupants had arrived home to find fire in the garage.

The blaze was reported at 10:44 p.m. Grady said the family quickly checked to determine that no one was inside the house and then escaped safely.

Grady said no injuries resulted from the blaze.

“All the residents were outside and safe,” he said.

He added that the structure was a “total loss.” When first responders arrived, they found the house fully involved. No nearby structures were at risk, and firefighters contained and doused the blaze. Grady said one difficulty was the lack of nearby hydrants.

“We requested the tanker task force, and they were able to secure us a water source with their tankers and a dump site right there on scene,” he said.

Among the departments participating with the task force were: Engines — Brookside, Barnesville and Martins Ferry; Tankers — Morristown, Belmont, Spirit of ’76, Smith Township, Barnesville and Somerton from Belmont County as well as Dillonvale and Brilliant from Jefferson County and Moundsville, Washington Lands and Roberts Ridge in Marshall County.

Allan Ketzell III, commander of the task force, said with coordinators’ vehicles and UTVs that were brought to the scene, an estimated 30 vehicles responded overall. He added that the task force alone flowed 140,200 gallons of water to fight the fire. That is in addition to water drawn from a hydrant in the area. Task force tankers were able to fill up at the Ickes Family Life Center on Friends Church Road near U.S. 40 and at Plaza West in the city of St. Clairsville.

Grady said the family is doing well.

“They have family that lives on the same street, so they stayed with them (Monday) night, and I spoke with them (Tuesday) morning,” he said. “They’re doing as well as can be expected.”

He said other assisting agencies came from Barton, Neffs, Flushing, Wolfhurst and Bethesda.

Managing Editor Jennifer Compston-Strough contributed to this report.