A dead and decomposing flower on a front porch has been blamed for erupting into a fire that caused an estimated $80,000 in damage to a Des Moines home.

Fire officials say a neighbor reported the blaze around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday. No injuries were reported.

Fire department spokesman Brian O'Keefe says the dead flower was inside a pot that had a wooden base. The plant's decomposition produced heat that was worsened by the high summer air temperature.

O'Keefe says the wooden base of the flower pot failed, which let in oxygen and led to spontaneous combustion.

The fire spread from the pot up the front of the house to the garage and attic.