UPDATE: Fire Destroys Vacant Kent State Esplanade House

An early morning fire destroyed a vacant house on South Lincoln Street right next to the Kent State University campus today.

The Kent Fire Department responded at 5:23 a.m. to the call of a fully involved house fire at 128 S. Lincoln St.

Acting Kent Fire Lt. Steve Smith said one firefighter was injured when he fell through a collapsed floor.

"Shortly after the crews got there the second floor partially collapsed onto the first floor," Smith said.

The firefighter, whose name was not released, was treated for minor injuries and released from Akron City Hospital Saturday.

The house is owned by Kent State University and was bought from A&H Investments Joint Venture LLC in August 2011 for $464,000 as part of the Esplanade expansion. It was scheduled for demolition.

Smith said after the firefighter who fell through the floor was pulled from the house the rest of the fire crews pulled out, and firefighters then focused on keeping the fire from spreading beyond the property.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control by 7 a.m.

Fire and EMS crews from Rootstown, Ravenna City and Township, Stow, Mantua and Streetsboro fire departments also responded.

Smith said Kent fire and Kent State officials are working together to determine the cause of the fire.