Norfolk County fire officials say a man is lucky to be alive after a fire at his home in St. Williams.
Firefighters arrived to the house on Queen St. E just before 6 a.m. Thursday.
Flames were shooting out of the building and the home was full of smoke.
Crews managed to contain and extinguish the blaze.
The fire is believed to have started near a wood-burning stove.
Damage from the fire, smoke and water is $50,000 but officials say it could have been much worse.
There were no working smoke detectors in the home.
Someone who lives in the house discovered the smoke while getting home early in the morning.
He was able to alert the homeowner, who was asleep at the time.
“If there had been working smoke alarms in the home, then the owner would have been alerted to the fire much earlier,” said Fire Prevention Officer Michael Atkins.
“His friend would not have had to place himself in danger to help get the owner out.”
This is the third time in a week Norfolk County Fire was called to a home with no working smoke alarms.
The Norfolk County Fire Department is asking people to take extra care this year to ensure there are working smoke alarms on each level of their homes.
Traditionally, there is a spoke in the number of fires the week of Christmas and New Years.
More fire prevention tips can be found here.