Ashes from a fireplace ignited a fire that destroyed a home in the Four Seasons mobile home community Monday afternoon, officials said.

A woman and child managed to escape their home on Dolphin Drive after a neighbor spotted the flames and alerted them, said Capt. Pete Nelms of the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

The ashes were left on the porch of the residence and may have been re-ignited in part due to wind in the area, Nelms said.

Ashes from fireplaces, wood-burning stoves and the like should be placed in a metal container and extinguished with water to make sure they cannot re-ignite, Nelms said. Ashes can remain hot from two to three days after they are used if not properly extinguished, he added.

The fire destroyed the home and also damaged the siding of an adjacent home, Nelms said.

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