MUDDY CREEK TWP — A fire ignited by unattended cooking oil Tuesday night laid waste to a mobile home at the Lake Arthur Estates trailer park in the township.

The home was destroyed but the owner was not hurt, authorities said.

Arthur Michaels had stepped out of his home shortly after 6:30 p.m. to visit a neighbor, leaving his stove on while heating a pan of oil, said Trooper Dewayne Baird, a fire marshal in Butler.

The fire has been ruled accidental. A damage estimate was not available this morning.

“It was a helluva blaze,” said James Mandity, who lives in the same trailer park. “Once they catch fire, those trailers really go up fast.”

The fire was reported about 6:50 p.m., but by the time firefighters arrived, there was little they could do to save the older model trailer.

Mandity noticed the flames and ran over to get a better look. He saw children using a hose to shoot water on their own trailer next to the one on fire.

“Those kids were trying to keep the fire from catching on their trailer,” he said. “It was getting so hot from the fire.”

About 25 firefighters from three departments used water from three tankers to put out the blaze.

It took about an hour before the fire, hot spots and all, was finally out for good.

Volunteer firefighters from Portersville, Prospect and Slippery Rock Township in Lawrence County assisted the Portersville VFC. Firefighters were back at their stations by 8:30 p.m.