(La Porte, IN) - Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that heavily damaged a house in La Porte and spread to a house next door.

 

It was just after midnight Saturday when firefighters were called to the 200 block of Linden Dr. on the city’s southeast side.  Fire Chief Andy Snyder said it appears the fire started in the attached garage and worked its way into the residence.

 

Snyder said three older teenagers inside the home were either sleeping or about to go to sleep when they learned about the fire and made their way to safety.

 

The heat from the flames caused the house roughly 30 feet away to catch fire.

 

“By the time we started getting water on the first house that second house ignited and was also on fire at the same time,” he said.

 

Snyder said there wasn’t as much damage to that residence but it was still significant in places like the attic where the flames spread.  Three adults in that home after notified by firefighters made it out to safety.

 

Snyder said firefighters saved a pet snake and a cat in the second home.