Dog dies in Federal Way house fire

A pit bull died in a house fire Wednesday morning just outside Federal Way, but a second dog, a miniature pinscher, ran outside when firefighters broke open the back door.

The occupant of the home wasn't there when the fire started, said Kendra Kay, a spokeswoman for South King County Fire and Rescue.

The fire was reported around 6:30 a.m., at 34928 26th Ave. S. When firefighters arrived, the house was engulfed in flames.

Initially, investigators suspected that a heater was the cause of the fire. By afternoon, a King County fire investigator said the fire was more likely caused by a short in the knob-and-tube electrical wiring over the ceiling. The home was destroyed in the fire, Kay said. Damage was estimated at $100,000 for the home and contents.