Hugo Family Escapes Massive House Fire

HUGO, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Hugo family and their pets escaped to safety after their house went up in flames early Saturday morning.

According to the Hugo Fire Department, crews arrived to the fire at about 1 a.m. on Eathan Avenue North, where they found flames shooting from the back of the home.

The home collapsed from the blaze, which is believed to have started as an electrical fire.

Hugo Deputy Fire Chief Jim Compton says this fire was a challenge to fight.

"We're having a tough time getting to the scene of the fire … because of structure collapse," Compton said. "We have all levels of the house inside in the basement, so it's hard to get to what's burning."

Firefighters call this a defensive fire, and they weren't able to send anyone inside the home because it was too dangerous.