ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A large house fire in St. Augustine was still active Monday afternoon, with fire rescue attempting to put it out. 

Massive flames could be seen at the house in the 500 block of Pantano Drive. They said the fire started around 4 p.m.

The fire was put out between 4:35 to 4:45 p.m.

No one was inside the house at the time, and no one was injured. 

There was severe weather in the area, and the fire may have been caused by lightning, according to SJFR. 

Neighbors described the scene as unlike anything they had ever seen.

“That house is literally burning,” said Ada Hajidini, who was the first person to arrive and began streaming live video of the fire. “I never seen a fire like that before, and for that magnitude, the homes being so close to each other.”

Fire crews faced challenging conditions as the ceiling and roof collapsed from the inside.

“We did a search of the area we can get to and started attacking the fire,” said Chris Naff with St. Johns County Fire Rescue. “But at that time, the whole ceiling and the roof of the building collapsed down, up on the inside, which makes it tough for us to get in, and then it becomes a safety issue for our guys.”

Neighbors say nearly 30 to 40 firefighters worked to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to adjacent homes, using a variety of equipment to protect nearby properties.

Many residents expressed their gratitude for the quick and coordinated response.

“I just thought that was amazing, what a community, what a city that has such a very comprehensive approach,” neighbor Sohan Banaich said.

Naff said lightning from a recent storm could have caused the fire.

“This could be a cause from lightning,” he said. “Lightning is kind of hard to predict.”

He urged homeowners to ensure they have working fire extinguishers and smoke detectors throughout their homes, including garages and attics, to provide early warning.

“It could have been our house that got struck by lightning, right, and I’m not here all year round, and I travel quite a bit, and it’s like I need to be aware that things like this can happen,” Banaich said. “This is no one’s fault. This is act of God.”

The residents also expressed concern for the homeowners, who they say are out of town.

“There could be all kinds of pictures, and, you know, memories in the house that is very near and dear to their house,” Banaich added.

The city and state fire marshals are investigating the exact cause of the fire.