A building operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research And Extension Center in Prosser has been damaged by an early morning fire according to Prosser fire officials.

Chief Doug Merritt, of Prosser Fire District 3, said units from Prosser and a truck from Benton County Fire District 2 responded at about 3:30 a.m. to the facility at 24106 N. Bunn Rd.

A 20-foot by 60-foot building that houses a couple offices and a research facility was burning when firefighters arrived.

Merritt said firefighters were initially limited to fighting the flames from outside the building because of a downed power line. It took about 30 minutes for crews to put out the fire.

No injuries were reported and the cause is still under investigation.

Merritt said fire investigators from the Benton County Sheriff's Office have been dispatched because the damage exceeds $10,000.