The house didn't suffer any external structural damage but there was heavy damage to the interior

A family of five and their three dogs escaped a fire early Thursday morning in the RM of La Broquerie.

Fire Chief Alain Nadeau says they got the call at 1:30 this morning for a home at 32 Brooklyn Bay which is along Carriere Road, one and three quarter miles south of Highway #52.

"When we got on scene, all the people were out. It was a family with three children and also three dogs in the house. They managed to get out of a window in a bedroom."

He says firefighters managed to save the structure but the interior will have to be gutted and rebuilt.

"The boys did a good job. There's no structural damage but inside a lot of stuff is melted and all the drywall needs to be changed. There's about $150,000.00 damage."

Nadeau says the cause appears to be careless use of a candle.

"We found a candle, a centrepiece in the living room, must have been left lit."

He urges people to be very careful with Christmas centrepieces because they can cause fires if left unattended.

Nadeau says the family has insurance.