(La Porte, IN) - A house in La Porte suffered just minimal damage this morning thanks to the quick work of firefighters. 

Just after midnight, there was a call from 2104 Michigan Avenue.  Upon arrival, Fire Chief Andy Snyder said the siding on the house adjacent to a brick chimney was on fire.  He said the fireplace was being used and the chimney had some maintenance issues that led to parts of the structure catching fire.

“It appears that some mortar joints had deteriorated away and allowed the heat and flames to leave the fire box and ignite some surrounding material to the exterior of the house,” he said.

Firefighters managed to douse the flames quickly enough to limit the estimated structure damage to $5,000.  Snyder said the residents were able to continue living in the home.