MONROE — Fire nearly destroyed a home on County S, just south of Juda on Thursday, July 6.

Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, as first responders came from as far away as Orangeville and other departments south of the state line to assist Juda Fire, Monroe Rural and other districts on scene.

The structure is a home in the 1010 block of County S that formerly housed a one-room type school, said Kathy Lincicum, who lives just down the hill from the property; and watched it burn nearly to the ground last Thursday at about 7:20 p.m.

The family who lived there had been there for years, she said, and the wood frame structure was about to be sold.

“Once it ignited, it really went up quickly,” she said. “It’s too bad to see that.”

Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud on Monday said investigators determined that the cause of the fire was likely electrical in nature.