Investigators believe that a house fire in the 6500 block of Marshal Road on Monday night was started by an electric heating appliance that had been placed too close to combustible materials, Bainbridge Island Fire Marshal Luke Carpenter said Tuesday.

Units from the Bainbridge Island Fire Department, the Poulsbo Fire Department and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue responded to the fire, which reportedly started in a bathroom of the one-story home the evening of Nov. 17.

No one was hurt in the fire, and firefighters were at the scene for more than three hours putting out the fire and mopping up.

Carpenter reminded islanders that combustible materials such as furniture, clothes, towels, paper and other items should always be kept a safe distance from heaters, no matter if they are permanent wall- or floor-mounted units or portable heaters.

Carpenter said the Red Cross has been asked to assist the homeowner.