A family of 10 lost their home on old Benson Road early Thursday morning when it was destroyed by a two-alarm fire.

Renton fire investigators determined the fire was caused by an undersized extension cord powering a swimming pool filter pump.

It’s the second recent fire in Renton caused by overloaded electrical equipment. The five-alarm fire that destroyed a downtown Renton building on June 11 was caused by an overloaded power strip.

Thursday morning’s fire was reported at 6:30 a.m.; fire crews, from Station 13 on the Benson Highway about a mile away, arrived in four minutes at the split-level home.

Even before they arrived on scene, firefighters could see the thermal column of heat and smoke. The house was totally engulfed in flames.

Everyone at home got out safely; friends and family arrived to comfort them as they waited across South 27th Street at the First Presbyterian Church.

The family’s cat, Smokey, was found under a bush outside and a firefighter carried a pet rabbit in a cage to safety. It was resting in the shade of a tree at the church.

The family has lived in the house for 12 years.

As she watched firefighters still putting out hot spots at about 9 a.m., homeowner Debbie Hillestad explained how one of her daughters alerted the rest of the family to the fire.

She heard a crackling noise and saw a fire on the deck, Hillestad said.

“She yelled for everyone to get out,” Hillestad said.

Six of the family’s eight children were home at the time. Hillestad’s husband Steve had left at about 5 a.m. to go to work in Olympia.

He returned and like other family members was being interviewed by Renton fire investigators.

Crews from Kent and Tukwila were called in to help fight the fire and a Medic 1 unit stood by. Two residents suffered minor injuries. A Red Cross representative was at the scene.

Benson Road was closed as crews fought the fire.

Fire investigators couldn’t enter the house immediately because of fear that what remained standing could collapse.

The fire continued to flare up three hours after the initial report. “This is a deep-seated fire,” said Deputy Fire Chief Mark Peterson.

The house is a total loss, he said. Damage is estimated at $610,000.

The fire had spread to a travel trailer and two cars parked on the property.