WARSAW — The potential cause of a fire that destroyed a home in Barrington Hills, Warsaw, early Tuesday, Oct. 13, has been reported by Warsaw/Wayne Fire Chief Michael Wilson.

“We are not ruling out spontaneous combustion of rags used in the staining of the deck, earlier the day before,” said Wilson. He noted proper wind conditions, out of the southwest, moved the fire to the exterior wall and into the roof line.

“I applaud the neighbor for the rapid communications. It could have been devastating,” said Wilson.

The exact cause is being left up to private fire investigators from an insurance company.

The home of the Kirk Beckham family was destroyed around 2:50 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. The home is located at 863 Barrington Place, Warsaw. It was the efforts of a neighbor, Heidi Miller, who awoke to take her dog for a nightly walk, and spotted the fire that saved the family’s life.

Miller immediately began calling the family on their cell phones to awaken them. The smoke detectors had not yet gone off.

Fire departments from Leesburg, Warsaw/Wayne Township, Winona Lake, Milford, North Webster and Pierceton responded.

Related: Update: Family Safe, Home A Total Loss