Six residents of a house in the 200 block of Jefferson Street made it out of the dwelling safely after a fire Monday night which appeared to have started in a rear bedroom.

The call came in shortly before 8 p.m. and firefighters dispatched to the scene observed smoke coming from the rear, Chief Jason Patrick of the Roanoke Rapids Fire Department said.

Initial reports indicated that a man was inside but firefighters determined that all residents of the single-family house were accounted for.

Patrick said firefighters quickly extinguished the fire in the rear bedroom of the house. The rest of the house sustained heat and smoke damage. “The initial quick response by on-duty firefighters which consisted of seven B-shift personnel was instrumental in containing the flames and stopping the spread throughout the rest of the home.”

The family was checked out by EMS and treated for smoke inhalation.

The American Red Cross was called to assist the family.   

Fire crews remained on scene for roughly two hours conducting overhaul operations.  

The cause of the fire is undetermined but not considered suspicious, Patrick said.

Along with the on-duty firefighters, eight off-duty firefighters were called to assist.

Halifax County EMS, Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad, and the Roanoke Rapids Police Department also assisted.