Four fire departments battled a blaze Friday afternoon in North Hampton.

The call was dispatched as a dryer fire shortly after 11:30 a.m.

“The young girl who started the dryer was crying, thinking that she caused the fire,” said a family member. She said she assured the girl that she was not at fault.

All of the residents and pets were able to escape unharmed.

Flames engulfed the home within minutes.

“I live a couple of blocks away,” said Pike Township Fire Chief Jerry Donnelly. “I left as soon as the tones dropped. When I got here, you couldn’t see across [Rt.] 41.”

After battling the fire for about an hour, Donnelly sounded the signal for all firefighters to leave the building.

“It got too dangerous inside, so we pulled out and went to defensive mode,” said Donnelly.

Some firefighters, however had problems getting out of the building.

German Township Firefighter Cody Nixon lost his egress somehow.

“I had gone in to replace another man, and the room soon filled with smoke,” said Nixon. “I couldn’t find the handline, so I called for Mayday and jumped out a window.”

Another firefighter was rescued from the opposite side of the building when a ladder was put up for him to get out.

Firefighters were on the scene for most of Friday afternoon.

The house is a total loss. Surprisingly, there were no injuries.

Assisting Pike Township were German Township, New Carlisle and Christiansburg fire crews.