An accidental fire caused about $100,000 in damage at a north Ames home Tuesday afternoon.

Anna May Allan, the owner of the one-story house at 428 26th St., and her friend Earl Linn, of Huxley, had just unloaded her car after a weekend trip to Clear Lake when the fire started, they said.

Allan was able to call 911, and Linn moved two cars from a garage and away from the flames. Neither was hurt.

“I didn’t want to see both cars go when it wasn’t necessary,” Linn said.

Ames Fire Department officials said the fire was accidental and started in the kitchen. It stayed confined to a couple rooms, but the entire building suffered heavy smoke damage, said Fire Inspector John Johnson.

Allan speculated that the kitchen stove might have accidentally been turned on while she and Linn placed coolers from the trip on the kitchen counter.

Linn said the two were behind the house at about 1 p.m. when they discovered the problem.

“The first thing we heard was the window blowing out,” he said.

Linn tried to go into the house to find a phone but was unsuccessful because of thick smoke, he said. Allan said she went in a different door and was able to call authorities.

“I went in, called 911 and got out,” she said.

“The whole back end was full of smoke,” Linn said.

Deputy Fire Chief Paul Sandoval said firefighters quickly extinguished the flames after arriving. The front windows of the house and much of the garage door were gone after the fire was put out.

“It appears that the home will not be habitable at this time,” he said.

Allan said she’s been living at the house for more than 30 years.

Linn said it was good news that fire damage was contained to a part of the house.

“I don’t think it’s as bad as we thought it was going to be,” he said.