Firefighters from more than six stations responded to a fire at 109 Franklin Drive in Winfield Township on Christmas night. The elderly homeowner said she thinks she knocked an ashtray over and accidentally ignited the blaze.

WINFIELD TWP — At least a dozen fire trucks from six county departments and a few from surrounding counties responded to a Christmas night house fire Monday.

The two-story house on Franklin Drive is the home of Shirley Holben, who has lived in the small house for 51 years.

Holben said she left her bedroom to go into the kitchen at about 7:45 p.m. and found it filling with smoke.

“I think I knocked an ashtray over,” Holben said as she sat in her car watching firefighters carry tools into her home.

She said her son called 911 and firefighters arrived within 10 minutes.

The first emergency responder on the scene was Buffalo Township policeman Jeffrey Sneddon, who said he saw flames on the first floor when he arrived.

“The occupants were already out,” he said.

Firefighters could be seen inside Holben's bedroom, which is in the back of the house, as smoke poured from the structure.

Holben said most of the gifts in her home had been exchanged with friends and family, but a few presents were in a drawer in her bedroom.

“I'll bet they're gone,” she said.

Some presents remained under the tree, which is adjacent to the bedroom. Holben is worried those were lost as well.

Holben said she does not have insurance on the two-story, three-bedroom house.

“My kids told me not to smoke in the bedroom,” Holben said, “but I didn't listen to them.”

The Red Cross was dispatched to the scene to accommodate the Holbens on the frigid night.

Holben said she had a fire in the kitchen about eight years ago and had to spend $5,000 on repairs.

“I can't believe this happened on Christmas,” she said.

Sneddon said the longtime residents of southeastern Butler County will make sure the Holbens are able to move past the incident.

“These people here will pitch in and help,” Sneddon said. “We're country people. We care about each other.”

Fire units from Saxonburg and South Butler, plus Winfield and Buffalo townships as well as Worthington in Armstrong County responded to the scene.

Salt trucks from the state Department of Transportation were called in due to the water from the fire hoses freezing on Route 356 near Cooper Station Restaurant, where many fire trucks staged.

Temperatures hovered around 15 degrees as the firefighters worked at the home. They began to return to their respective stations at about 9:45 p.m.