"I was out walking my dog and saw this equipment out here, I thought like the earth was on fire," quipped one passer by.

This normally quiet neighborhood quickly became a temporary parking spot for around a dozen emergency responders answering the call of a house fire.

"When crews arrived they saw heavy smoke issuing from the rear of the structure," said Major Joe Madden with the Lexington Fire Department.

The man living there had made it out without serious injury, but by the time the flames were knocked down all the way, the damage had been done.

"There was some significant damage to mainly the contents of the back of the house," noted Madden.

Curious dog-walkers and those living close to the action stopped to watch while the scene was secured.

"We live around the block, we were just out on a walk. We just felt bad for the people who live here. You hope it never happens to you," said Martin Kish.

Some, were amazed by the fire departments response.

"I guess that's just our tax dollars at work, I don't know. But I'm not trying to be cynical cause I got a house down here," joked one neighbor.

Others were comforted.

"Looks like it gutted the whole side of the house. So it just goes to show you, you never know how fast these things spread. That's just really scary to think about," added Kish.

Firefighters say there is one lesson to be learned.

"Something I would like to add, that smoke detectors are always important to have and operating. I asked the occupant, he said he was not alerted by a smoke detector," said Madden.

Madden said it's important to check smoke detectors around the house for that very reason.