Fire leaves Alcona home badly damaged

Flames consume an Alcona, Ont. home on Tuesday, July 14, 2015. (Devin DePlancke/ Facebook)

A family home in Alcona was badly damaged by fire Tuesday evening.

Viewer video sent to CTV News shows flames shooting into the air from the small house on Prince Court just before 5 p.m.

It wasn't long before thick smoke started billowing out of the home and filling the street around it.

Innisfil Fire Chief Jon Pegg says the fire was burning so intensely when crews arrived that their initial focus became protecting the neighbouring homes, which are situated very close to the house that caught fire.

"We had heavy fire showing from the outside of the house," Pegg told CTV News. "So, our primary action became to save the neighbouring houses."

Pegg says everyone was able to get out of the homes and there were no injuries.  A family pet was also saved from one of the neighbouring homes.

It was not immediately clear what started the fire, or where it started, but Pegg said the damage appeared to be most extensive on the main floor of the house.

Crews were still putting out hot spots early Tuesday evening as they waited to get inside the home for a more thorough examination.