ERIC BRADY The Roanoke Times

Roanoke firefighters work Wednesday to cut a hole in the roof and remove a chimney on a vacant house on Buford Avenue in Roanoke.

A fire that damaged a vacant Southwest Roanoke house Wednesday was under investigation.

Firefighters were called to the house in the 2300 block of Buford Avenue just after 3 p.m., Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said.

Firefighters searched the dwelling and didn't find anyone trapped, Bradbury said.

The fire was under control in about 20 minutes. The house sustained significant water and fire damage.

The city's division of code enforcement found in October that the one-story house was an unsafe structure, according to online tax records. It was assessed this year at $27,300.

-- Amanda Codispoti