ROWAN COUNTY — A family was displaced after a fire destroyed a house in southeastern Rowan County on Tuesday.

Firefighters responded to a home in the 2900 block of Lower Stone Church Road at approximately 8:45 a.m. in reference to a reported structure fire and found heavy smoke coming from the home and fire coming out of both the front and back doors, said Gold Hill Fire Chief Matt Brock. All of the windows near the center of the home had also been blown out by the fire, according to Brock.

One person was asleep in the home at the time the fire started, but Brock said that they were able to escape before firefighters arrived.

At some point during the fire, the roof over where the fire began, in the center of the home, collapsed, said Brock. The fire was not ruled under control until over an hour later.

Rockwell Rural, China Grove, Gold Hill, Granite Quarry, Faith, Bostian Heights, Cold Water, Northeast Cabarrus, Rimer, West Liberty and South Salisbury fire departments all responded to the scene and assisted in the efforts along with Rowan Rescue Squad.

Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the residents of the home who were displaced.

Forest Bellinger, a family friend, has started a GoFundMe to assist the family, which can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-coignard-family-community-reconstruction-fund.