NATRONA HEIGHTS, Pa. -- At least five fire companies were called to battle a blaze that broke out in Natrona Heights early Monday afternoon.

The blaze had fully engulfed two homes along Federal Street.

"I was laying on the couch and I heard a bunch of popping and I thought it was a hail storm, so I got up to see what was going on," said one of the homeowners. "Guy comes running through my backyard yelling, 'Get out of the house. Get out of the house. The house next door is on fire."

The neighbor said the house's porch was on fire, and there were sparks flying from a nearby electrical box.

"Then our house was engulfed in flames. We just recently paid the house off," the man said. "I was trying to get insurance and I had an inspector down here a month ago. This house down here, it was condemned for some three or four years now. It was full of rats, so I had the inspector come down here for that problem."

One witness said he saw thick, black smoke from around the corner. He said the smoke shot up in the air and caught the house on fire.

"We both stopped and made sure everybody was out of both houses," said witness Scott Baker. "We got the neighbor out of his house and all of his dogs and waited for the fire company."

"I pointed this house out to him, and he was supposed to come down here and have something done," said the homeowner. "I told the inspector that I was worried that this was going to happen and sure enough, it happened and now we're left homeless."

There is no word on what caused the fire.