Saskatoon fire fighters were called out to a house fire at 2:27 a.m. on Sunday in the city’s Massey Place neighbourhood.

When crews arrived on scene the house was fully involved in fire with flames showing at the rear.

Utility companies were called in to shut off natural gas and electricity as firefighters started putting out the fire from the back of the home on the outside and then advanced inside to continue to battle the blaze.

At 3:06 a.m., just over a half hour after getting the call, firefighters identified the roof was collapsing. The fire was brought under control at 3:26 a.m.

No one was hurt in the fire but the home’s occupant said he heard sounds like hailstones hitting the house which woke him up.  Fire officials say the noise was actually from the fire burning in an exterior wall and while the home’s occupant tried to put out the fire, it was too large of a blaze. The smoke alarms were working in the building.

A fire investigator and the Saskatoon Police are working together on the fire. The cause is undetermined at this time although the fire is believed to have started on the rear deck attached to the house. The damage estimate is $450,000.