WATERSOUND BEACH, Fla. --- South Walton Fire District firefighters responded to a residential structure fire Saturday morning in WaterSound Beach. 

The incident originated as a residential fire alarm call dispatching Engine 1 to respond, but it was quickly upgraded to a full structure fire response after the home’s residents placed a second 911 call and reported signs of smoke in their home. 

Station 1 firefighters then arrived on-scene and reported smoke showing from the home’s second floor, classifying two nearby homes as “exposures” due to their proximity to the fire. 

On-scene crews deployed multiple hose lines to the second and third floors for an interior fire attack. They also determined all occupants had safely exited the structure through a primary search. 

Firefighters had the bulk of the fire knocked down within approximately 20 minutes of arriving on-scene, then overhauled the fire’s area of origin to extinguish hotspots. 

The SWFD Fire Marshal investigated the incident and determined an outdoor grill on the second floor to be the most likely cause of the fire. Fortunately, the damage was limited to the area where the fire originated. 

Working smoke alarms within the home were responsible for waking up the residents and alerting them to the potentially life-threatening situation. SWFD strongly encourages all community members to ensure the smoke alarms within their homes and workplaces are functioning properly. 

Thank you to the responding Walton County Sheriff's Office deputies and mutual aid crews with Bay County Fire Rescue for the assistance on-scene.