"Their entire home is a write-off. There are no contents that are salvageable," said LaSalle Fire Chief Ed Thiessen after a house fire on River Avenue.
Firefighters were called to the home around 8 p.m. on Wednesday after the homeowner smelled smoke.
The fire started in the garage but quickly engulfed the house, forcing firefighters to go on the defensive.
"We put the fire from the outside of the building just because it was unsafe to do an interior attack," explained Thiessen.
Neighbours could hear several explosions as the flames levelled the house.
"When you have aerosol cans, those types of things in your garage -- when they get heated," Thiessen said.
The homeowner, his daughter, and one dog escaped the fire. The girl's mother wasn't home, and a second dog died.
No one was hurt, but Thiessen said the family is homeless.
Investigators are looking for the cause, but so far, they haven't found it.
Thiessen estimates the damage could be around $700,000.
