Firefighters gather at the scene of a house fire at 920 N. Pike Road in Jefferson Township on Thursday evening. Firefighters from five companies put out the blaze in the basement.

JEFFERSON TWP — A house on North Pike Road was damaged Thursday when a fire started in the walls.

The suspected cause of the fire was an electrical issue. Homeowner David Lytle was in the driveway of the house and called 911 when he saw smoke coming from the electrical meter, Saxonburg Fire Chief Chris Ballina said.

No injuries were reported and the family's cats were believed to be OK, Ballina said at the scene.

The fire was reported around 6 p.m. and fire crews closed North Pike Road in both directions, detouring traffic on Great Belt Road and at the Field House.

The burning apparently spread from the meter up the walls into the attic and into the ceiling of the basement. Firefighters quickly got inside the house to shut off the electricity and hit the burning areas with water.

They then used chain saws and tools to pull apart siding and several interior walls to find wooden insulation that was still burning, Ballina said.

The family owns Lytle Products, which sells magnetic photo frames and other items made locally, according to its website. The business and a second house on the property were not damaged in the fire. Ballina said the family plans to stay in the second house while the main house is being repaired.

Aiding the Saxonburg department at the scene were the Herman, Penn Township, Buffalo Township and Winfield Township fire departments and Saxonburg EMS.