(La Porte, IN) - Firefighters responded to a smoky haze in La Porte’s downtown area this morning from a house fire in the 600 block of East Maple Avenue.

 

Ron Ayres said he woke up to his power out upstairs. Then after going outside to smoke a cigarette, a passerby stopped and told him his house was on fire.

 

Ayres said he ran back inside the home to alert his wife, Paula. Ron and Paula, along with their dog, made it out safely.

 

Ayres said he didn’t see any flames until firefighters arrived. The fire was quickly brought under control. Ayres said most of the damage to the house appears to be from water and smoke.

 

“We’re all out and safe, and that’s the best thing,” Ayres said.

 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.