Firefighters say dry conditions and old construction materials played a big role in a house fire in Ashford on Tuesday afternoon.

When firefighters left the station before noon they could see a 200 foot plume of smoke coming from the home.

No one was home at the time of the blaze.

Homeowner, Emma Thompson, said she left to go to work before 10 a.m. and by the time she returned her home was gone.

One thing working in the firefighters favor was the immediate access to water.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.