FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A Fort Wayne house was badly damaged in an early-morning fire.

The Fort Wayne Fire Department was called to the 2800 block of South Clinton Street at about 12:05am; they found fire coming from the front windows of the building when they arrived. Neighbors told firefighters they thought someone was inside the house, but the building was determined to be vacant after multiple searches.

While trying to fight the blaze, firefighters learned that the house’s gas meter had been melted and was feeding the fire. NIPSCO crews had to dig the service line up by hand and shut off the gas before the fire was eventually under control at 1:30am.

Nobody was injured, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.