BARRIE -- Seven people escaped a destructive house fire that broke out in Barrie's south end on Monday night.
Fire crews doused the blaze that appears to have started in the garage at the home on Country Lane off Mapleview Drive East around 9 p.m.
The flames ravaged the house, gutting most of the structure.
Fire officials say smoking materials that were not disposed of properly started the fire, suggesting it was accidental.
Simcoe County Paramedics took five occupants to a local hospital as a precaution. No one was injured.
The damage is estimated at around $400,000.
