MONTGOMERY – Flames ripped through a borough residence last Saturday morning leaving two people homeless.

Pat Kiernan and her daughter, who lived in the home at 86 E. Houston Ave., managed to escape the fire shortly after it began around 7 a.m., Montgomery Fire Chief Brad Harding said.

Kiernan and her daughter were reportedly sleeping when their dog began barking, alerting them of the fire.

“It started in the rear of the home,” Harding said.

Firefighters from Clinton Township, Elimsport, South Williamsport, Warrior Run, and Montoursville also responded to the blaze.

“There were close to 45 or 50 firefighters,” Harding said. “The big challenge was water issues. The hydrant system was not working properly.”

Special calls were made to bring in additional tankers with water.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

A state fire marshall is expected to investigate the scene this week.

Junior Parrish, of 92 E. Houston Ave., said he did not immediately become aware of the fire in his neighborhood, but saw it sometime after it had begun.

“I looked out from my house and it was unbelievable. There was a ton of smoke,” he said.

Harding said it took firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control.