But no injuries were reported in Thursday's fire in Freehold Borough.
Dozens of firefighters in the Monmouth County community and some nearby towns battled the smoky blaze, which broke out at the Institute Street home shortly before 1 p.m. Authorities say it was brought under control about 45 minutes later and was extinguished around 2:30 p.m.
Officials said it was not immediately clear how many people lived in the home. But they said American Red Cross staffers were working to find shelter for the displaced residents.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday afternoon.
