No one was hurt in a house fire Wednesday in Nikiski, though the home was destroyed.

Members of the Nikiski Fire Department were called out to a residential fire on Bastien Drive in Nikiski on Wednesday afternoon, said Public Information Officer Bud Sexton. They were joined by first responders from the Kenai Fire Department for a total of 15 firefighters working the scene.

The home was “fully involved” with fire when firefighters got on scene, Sexton said, and it took them about 45 minutes to get the fire under control. It was declared a total loss, he said.

The homeowner was not inside at the time the blaze started and no one was harmed in the fire, though one pet dog was killed. The fire’s cause and where it began in the house are still under investigation, Sexton said.

Nikiski has seen a few house fires since the beginning of the year, Sexton said. He cautioned homeowners who use alternative heating sources — those that can be plugged in or turned on, like a space heater — that they are not designed to be used long-term as a main heating source.

“One thing we always remind people (of) is alternative heat sources,” Sexton said. “Be very, very careful about those.”

Many people will use extension cords or outlet strips to power their alternative heat sources, which Sexton said need to be kept clear of any combustable materials.

Reach Megan Pacer at megan.pacer@peninsulaclarion.com.

A firefighter walks past a burning house as members of the Nikiski Fire Department work to put out a fire Wednesday, March 1, 2017 on Bastien Drive in Nikiski, Alaska. No one was hurt in the fire, and the Kenai Fire Department provided mutual aid. (Megan Pacer/Peninsula Clarion)