WEATHERSFIELD, Vt. - A Vermont fire chief says a shortage of water allowed a fire to spread in a 200-year-old house on U.S. Route 5 in the town of Weathersfield.

Ascutney Fire Chief Darren Spaulding tells the Valley News the first firefighters at the scene of the 3 p.m. Wednesday blaze kept flames from spreading to much of the two-story clapboard building.

But water from a nearby hydrant ran out and tankers with more water didn't arrive until flames had spread through much of the structure.

There's no word what caused the fire.

There were no injuries. The name of the homeowner was not released.

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Information from: Lebanon Valley News, http://www.vnews.com

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