SYLVANIA, Ohio — Craig and Ann Marlow were getting home from dinner Monday night when they saw smoke coming out of their Sylvania housing development.
"We just a cloud of smoke billowing up over the condos and I said 'oh my god, that's a fire,'" Ann said. "We moved down a little bit further and we could see the flames shooting out from the chimney."
The two noticed the flames coming out of a nearby home in the Court of St. James neighborhood and started recording on their phones.
Craig said he was thankful the emergency response was swift.
"The police and fire got here quick," Craig said. "They were on top of it. That's the best you can ask for."
Sylvania Fire Battalion Chief Mike Szafarowicz said the fire damage is extensive and a near-total loss.
Szafarowicz said the fire started in a single unit within a multi-unit structure.
"Pretty heavy fire damage in one of the units," Szafarowicz said. "We were able to contain it, take it and keep it contained to the one unit, so it didn't spread. All the occupants [of the building] made it out. They're all safe. No injuries to them or our crews, so we're good."
The Marlows said there has never been a fire this bad in the neighborhood and they were grateful that no one was injured.
"I was just thankful that everybody got out alive, and hopefully they have a place to stay. Hopefully the fire walls held up between the different condos so it was just the one with the fire."
Szafarowicz told WTOL 11 the fire department was able to make contact with the owner of the damaged home. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.