A two alarm blaze at 8006 Rt. 77 in Indian Falls has left one man homeless after a fire broke out in the rear of the home a little after 5:00 p.m. Thursday.
The elderly man was able to escape his burning home along with his dog according to a Sheriff’s Deputy on scene.
Fire Chief Jamie Waff says all 5 cats managed to also escape the blaze.
Waff says the elderly resident was transported to the hospital with smoke inhalation and is believed to be okay.
Firefighters had difficulty fighting the fire because bags of garbage inside the residence and in the rear of the structure made it hard to move around inside the building.
Because of heavy smoke and bags of garbage, fire crews had to go to a defensive mode at first.
The fire is believed to have started in the rear of the home on the first floor.
Waff says the flames quickly spread up the walls and into the attic because of the the balloon form construction.
An excavator was brought in to take down the second story of the house so crews could extinguish the fire.
The house is a total loss.
Rt. 77 has been closed since 5:00 pm and is expected to re-open about 10:15p.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.