SOUTH HERO, Vt. -
Firefighters say a home in South Hero, Vermont was destroyed in a fire Monday.
For most of the afternoon, dozens of firefighters fought the fire near the shore of Lake Champlain.
They say the fire started in the fireplace but aren't sure why. They say the man who rented the home hadn't been home since the morning and the fire was reported around 3:00pm.
The fire is not considered suspicious. Firefighters say there were no reports of injuries.
It was a neighbor who first spotted smoke coming from the home.
"My concern was there is a renter who is staying here right now and I didn't know if he had any pets. Truth is, if there were any pets, it was probably too late anyway," says Mark Iverson, the neighbor who called 911.
Soon after firefighters from around the region arrived at the two-story Melcher Place home.
"Once they opened the door, the house went up in flames," says Iverson.
Neighbors say it was a good thing the wind was light. That might have helped spare nearby homes from being damaged.
