Woken by a smoke alarm, a 30-year-old Bellevue man survived a fire that destroyed his home Saturday morning.

The man was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom of his two-story home on the 300 block of 145th Place Northeast at about 9:40 a.m., when the smoke detector activated. Smoke was coming from the living room downstairs. Unable to call 911 because his phone was downstairs, the man fled the house immediately.

Within six minutes, Bellevue firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the first and second stories of the house. Firefighters fought the fire from the exterior, knocking down the majority of the flames. They were then able to attack the fire on both the first and second stories, using multiple lines, as holes were cut in the roof to let the hot gases out of the attic. Firefighters from Bellevue and Redmond were able to control the fire within 20 minutes.

The resident bought the home two months ago and has homeowner's insurance. He will be staying with friends in the area.

Bellevue Fire investigators are working to determine the fire's origin and cause. The home is beyond repair, with a damage estimate of $300,000.

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