A Howell Township family was not seriously injured while escaping from a major fire that destroyed their home Tuesday afternoon.

The fire started at the home on Woodstown Drive. The family was inside the house at the time and were able to escape. The fire burned the house down to nearly the foundation. The heat was so bad that the fire melted the siding on the house next door.

Howell police say the fire started around 3:30 p.m. The homeowner tells News 12 New Jersey that the fire started while he was putting food on a grill outside. He said he heard a loud noise and then saw the flames. He tried to put it out himself but realized he couldn’t and that’s when he called the fire department.

The homeowner says the family had a cat inside and isn’t sure if the cat ran away or was lost to the fire.

The American Red Cross is helping the family find shelter for the time being.