Man Helps Save Roommate From Billerica House Fire

BILLERICA (CBS) – A massive fire tore through a home on Riveredge Road in Billerica Thursday afternoon. Two people were in the house but got out safely once the fire started.

Homeowner Rob Rawson said the smoke engulfed him as he was napping on his front porch. Barely able to breathe, he ran inside to grab his roommate and get him out.

"We would have been dead," Rawson said. "My buddy was upstairs and if I didn't go in the house and bang on the door he would have been sleeping. He'd be dead. He'd be dead."

All that is left of the home is a scorched out shell. Two cars that were parked in the driveway were also destroyed.

Siding on a neighbor's house was melted from the heat.

The Billerica Fire chief said it was lucky this happened during the daytime.

"If the residents were asleep inside, even with smoke detectors, people get disoriented in the middle of the night, so definitely lucky that this happened now, if you had to pick a time," Fire Chief Robert Cole said.

Firefighters were still battling some hot spots at the home late Thursday night.

Investigators are trying to determine what caused the fire.