A fire damaged a West Rome house Wednesday morning as one of the residents returned home to find the house on fire.

According to Battalion chief Steve Wilson:

The resident of the house, John Harris, was not at home at the time the fire started, according to Wilson. The fire did extensive damaged to the inside of the house before firefighters could extinguish the flames.

Heavy smoke was billowing out of the structure when Engines 6 and 7, Quint 5, Ladder 1 and Cars 25 and 26 arrived at the home shortly after 8 a.m. today. They quickly extinguished the blaze, though smoke was still present by 8:40 a.m.

Harris lived in the house with his mother who has owned it for 39 years. He said he is making arrangements for a place to stay.