CHITTENDEN — Heavy dark smoke covered a single-family home on Holden Road late Wednesday morning as local firefighters worked to douse flames that had spread to the attic.

Several firefighter teams used long prods and saws to make various holes throughout the house to allow smoke to exit the house while they worked to find flames and hot spots throughout.

A firefighter on the scene said the house is a total loss.

Firefighters from five towns – Chittenden, Pittsford, Brandon, Proctor, Rutland Town and West Rutland – responded to the scene around 10 a.m.

Paul Crain, who rents the house with his girlfriend and three kids, said he had just arrived home after dropping his girlfriend off at work when he noticed the smoke.

“I came in the door and whoosh (the smoke),” he said while looking at firefighters dousing the home. “I went through the smoke and grabbed my dog and got out.”

Crain said nobody was home when it started, but said the flames were coming from the basement.

As of 1:45 p.m. the cause of the fire is unknown.