Coos Bay Fire Chief Stan Gibson speaks outside a home at 266 Norman Ave., with a friend of the home’s owner Monday. Firefighters responded to a 911 caller’s report that smoke was coming from the home shortly before 9 a.m. Investigation of the fire was handed over to the Coos Bay Police Department, and the cause of the fire was still under investigation Monday night. According to Gibson, damage to the home “appears to be minor.”-World Photo by Alex Powers

Coos Bay investigators still are trying to determine the cause of a fire that partially damaged a house on Norman Avenue on Monday morning. Although firefighters would not discuss their investigation, arson appears to be at least a possibility.

The fire was first reported at about 8:31 a.m., when a passerby noticed smoke coming from the house at 266 Norman Ave., according to a Fire Department press release. Three engines, two support vehicles and 18 firefighters responded to the call and had the fire under control within 15 minutes. The fire was confined to a back room, though moderate smoke damage was reported throughout the building, firefighters said. The owner, Robert Hanna, was not home when the fire started and no injuries were reported, the press release said.

At about 9:29 a.m., fire Chief Stan Gibson requested an officer from the police department, according to the Police Department log. The log entry is headed arson.