PORTAGE (WKZO) -- Most homeowners who suffer a house fire at this time of the year do not get off this lucky.

A passerby spotted flames coming from the side of a home at 9240 Portage Road on Friday, notified the couple inside, who were totally unaware that their home was burning. The quick actions of the passerby also alerted firefighters, who responded in time to keep the flames from getting into the interior of the home.

The Fire Marshal discovered that several mortar joints in the Chimney had cracked open and that exposed the structure of the home to the heat inside the chimney.

The home was determined to be safe and stable for occupancy and returned to the homeowners, with the warning not to use the fireplace..