LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — Firefighters were on the scene of a house fire in Lincoln County early Wednesday morning.
The fire broke out at a home on Windy Knob Trail, just north of Lincolnton, around 7:30 a.m.
Channel 9 learned three fire departments worked together to put it out, but not before a portion of the roof collapsed.
Firefighters said they could see the smoke from their fire department five miles away and flames were coming through the roof when they arrived.
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The family of four inside were able to get out safely thanks to a passerby.
Juan Pena said he was driving to work when he spotted the smoke in the distance.
After knocking on the door and getting no answer, he went into the burning home and began yelling for people to get out.
"I just went right in," he said. "Just get everyone out of the house."
The homeowner told Channel 9 that he, along with his wife and daughter, were asleep at the time. The daughter, Courtney Fisher, was babysitting a 3-year-old boy who also stayed with the family overnight.
Pena's screams woke them in time to get out.
She said she escaped with only what she was wearing, and that the house went up in flames in a matter of minutes.
"I think he is a really good person because he didn't have to stop. He could have kept driving to work,” Fisher said. “He said he just decided to stop because he saw some stuff."
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Pena said he doesn't consider himself a hero, but don't tell that to Fisher.
"If he didn't stop I don't think any of us would have made it out because the house was halfway gone by the time we got out," Fisher said.
Fire investigators don't know what started the fire yet and the Red Cross has been called to help the family out.
Channel 9 reporter Dave Faherty was the first reporter on the scene, follow him on Twitter.
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