The Saskatoon Fire Department says damage from a house fire in the 400 block of Avenue I North Thursday morning is estimated at $100,000. The Fire Investigator says the cause was careless disposal of smoking material.

Just after 4:30 in the morning, emergency crews responded to the home and found all four people who were in the house sheltering in a vehicle. Because of the amount of flame coming from the windows of the second floor, occupants in adjacent homes were notified and evacuated.

All visible flames were out by 5:45 and the home was prepared for ventilation, but while crews were checking for hotspots a hidden fire was discovered at the back of the home. The crew on duty switched out firefighters on scene to avoid cold exposure and provide relief. The Fire Department says the blaze was brought under control by 6:32 a.m.

There was an extensive search of the home, but fire crews weren’t able to find a four month old Shepherd puppy. The dog’s whereabouts remain unknown.