A fire in the east end of St. John’s on Wednesday night caused extensive damage to an unoccupied home.

A passerby called 911 after noticing smoke coming from a home on Newfoundland Drive at 9:00 p.m.. Firefighters arrived a few moments later and discovered the two-unit home full of smoke. Crews entered the house to search for the fire and anyone who may have been inside.

Ken Dinn, Platoon Chief with the St. John’s Regional Fire Department, said crews had to break windows and cut a hole in the roof to allow heat and smoke to escape the home. Firefighters were able to find the fire and extinguish it in less than thirty minutes. Crews tore down a portion of ceiling on the main floor to ensure no hot spots remained.

There was no one inside the home at the time, as it had been under renovation. The home sustained extensive fire, smoke, and water damage. A portion of Newfoundland Drive was closed as crews batted the fire, the cause of which is under investigation.