The mayor of Lewisporte is offering her thanks to the local volunteer fire department for its quick response to a fire Wednesday night that destroyed a home in the town.

Videos posted to social media show bright flames lighting up the night sky from across the harbour.

Mayor Krista Freake says fortunately no one was in the house at the time of the blaze.

She explains that the volunteer fire department was doing some training when the call came in, thus a full crew of about 30 firefighters was able to respond immediately.

Freake says they worked “tirelessly and endlessly” to keep the fire from spreading.

She notes another call of a motor vehicle accident came in around the same time, forcing half the crew to leave the fire scene.

Freake says she’s “very grateful” for the volunteer firefighters, adding it was “amazing” to see them in action.