BUTLER TWP - A 47-year-old man was uninjured after escaping out a bedroom window when fire broke out early this morning at his house in Butler Township, authorities said.

Fire crews quickly extinguished the blaze about 4:30 a.m. at Robert Scipione's single-story home in the 4300 block of Highland Avenue.

The house, which is insured, sustained approximately $75,000 in damage.

"There's a lot of smoke damage throughout the house," said Dave Bestwick, assistant chief of Butler Fire District 3.

A carelessly discarded ashtray with a still burning cigarette is the suspected cause of the fire, according to township fire marshal Larry Christy.

" He said he had been smoking earlier and had emptied the ashtray in a trash bag in the kitchen," Christy said. "He said he was in the front of the home and fell asleep. He awoke to popping sounds."

Fire officials believe the noise was bottles breaking in the trash bag.

Authorities believe the fire smoldered for some time before erupting in flames.

Thick smoke prevented Scipione from getting out the front door so he used the bedroom window.

"He climbed out onto the porch and called 911 on his cell phone," Christy said.

A three-man attack crew forced in the locked door and got inside. The fire was out within minutes, Bestwick said.