A man says he and his family and pets have escaped unharmed from a fire that damaged their home in the central Iowa town of Coalville.

Homeowner Dan Hoover told The Messenger that he'd seen sparks from the chimney after he set a fire in the fireplace about 8:40 p.m. Sunday.

Firefighters from Otho and Duncombe kept the flames from spreading to the rest of the house.

Coalville sits a few miles southeast of Fort Dodge.