A Fayette County family was

fortunate to escape with their lives when a fire destroyed their home

in the Harbor Lake subdivision early Thursday morning.

Firefighters were combing through

debris at 155 Canal Place late Thursday morning to make sure all the hot

spots were extinguished, said Chief Allen McCullough of the Fayette County

Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

Six people were in the home

when one of the residents called 911 after being awakened by the fire,

McCullough said. The 911 operator asked for the house to be evacuated,

and three fire engines were sent to the scene. "We are very fortunate

that they got out," McCullough said. "I'm sure it is devastating

to the family, but we were fortunate there were no major injuries or fatalities."

The house collapsed about 20

minutes after firefighters arrived, McCullough said. The moment they got

there, the structure was fully involved with the flames, making an internal

attack on the fire impossible, he said.

Despite the snow and icy conditions,

firefighters and other emergency personnel were able to get to the scene

quickly, McCullough said. One of the residents was treated and released

from the hospital for minor burns and a firefighter was treated and released

for a laceration, McCullough said.

Early estimates of damage hovered

around $250,000, McCullough said.

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