North Manakato -
Charred debris is all that's left after fire destroyed a substantial portion of a home at 419 Webster Avenue.
"I gotta find a new place to live and I got a lot of stuff here," said Charlie Roen, a fire victim at the residence.
Other tenants who lived in the house say they still can't believe their eyes.
"It's shocking, like at first I'm like 'you gotta be kidding me,'" said Kyle Wiest, a fire victim at the residence.
On Sunday night, fire crews were called to the home around 11:30 and battled the blaze until roughly four in the morning. After they left, a hot spot flared up.
"Which occasionally happens, we don't like it when that happens, but it does because there's so much insulation up there," said Chief Tim Pohlman of the North Mankato Fire Department.
Fire officials say it appears the blaze started from smoking.
"They (residents) had a can sitting out there they were putting cigarettes into, and we think that just started smoldering, and it eventually caught fire and started the side of the house on fire," said Pohlman.
Even though fire officials say the home is likely a total loss, tenants say the important thing to remember is everyone made it out okay.
"Nobody was hurt so that's the best thing," said Roen.
Even though the blaze took its toll, fire victims say they won't let the situation get the best of them.
"Just another thing in life," said Roen. "You just got to take it and bounce back."
The American Red Cross is providing assistance to the fire victims. The agency is offering help with food, shelter and clothing.
